The Abominations
by MyNamesNotAlice
Summary: This is the story of Nyaida Zander. Elfin-Vampire Hybrid. set during the Hell on earth: New World Arch. Nyaida worked for the Bureau in '44 and after events left, but now she's back on Tom Manning's request because Hell'come to earth.
1. Bittersweet Homecoming

**The Abominations: Nyaida Zander **

**Bittersweet Homecoming**

The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense now under U.N oversight, it's come a long way since 1944. I had to laugh; never back then would I have ever thought the B.P.R.D would go International, and yet here I was being flown in to the new Headquarters in Colorado following being requested to return to field work after some thirty years of 'extended leave'. Though I had been expecting a call since that thing in Nebraska and Munich, I hated having to stay out of the mix and watch the chaos unfold but I'd be damned if I knew the number to call for the Bureau and when I drove up to Fairfield I had found the old facility closed. I had spent hours roaming the abandoned halls, going through all the rooms. The memories I had here where fond ones, when we had moved in from that small Air Force base in New Mexico it was a welcomed change from the small roomed barracks I had been confined to for five years before. My brother was almost full grown by then of course, not my brother by blood but I refused to call him anything but, to me Hellboy was family. I admit we made an odd pair but he had my back and I had his, even if the human agents felt wary of having a vampire on the team, one of the things they had been told was evil and that they might have to kill one day on a mission, Hellboy always stood up for me. Funny though if you think about, the world of humans more accepting of a seven foot bright red demon then a simple vampire that's been around since before most of them combined. H.B had said once it was because, "Vampires have been around so long humanities had time to think them over, pinning them as evil, demons, yeah they've been around forever but the whole hell things more abstract."

As the chopper descended through the low laying clouds the new base came into view, built into the rock itself the structure was huge beyond anything I had expected, triple the size of the Fairfield building I guessed roughly. "Settin her down be out in round five minutes." The pilot said through the headset. The man next to me, agent Hughes spoke back through his head set. "Roger that." But said nothing else.

We set down smoothly on the landing platform and a weird feeling arose in my chest, like anticipation mixed with indigestion. I was home. Back to the place I knew best, but it was different now that my brother and the professor are gone and I highly doubted there would be anyone still here that had known him and that was a sad feeling, like the end of something. A small part of me held hope that someone had known him, someone I could connect with.

I removed my headset as the chopper door slid and locked with a clang and a dark skinned man with wire rimmed glasses looked in at me. "Agent Zander, I'm Andrew Devon."

I smiled slightly, not to wide. "Nice to meet you Andrew, you're the one they assigned to show me to my new digs, right." He looked oddly at me before nodding. "Yeah that's me."

I slid out of the chopper and reached back to grab my bag. "Place is big isn't it?" I said looking round. "You ever seen the Fairfield location?" He shook his head as we entered the oversized hangar. "I've only ever worked here." He answered. I nodded, the small hope in me diminishing slightly. With a sidelong glance noticed the clip board he kept glancing at had my name typed across the top.

"That my file?" I asked. Devon looked taken aback slightly almost as if he'd been caught red handed with something.

"Uh… yeah I was just seeing where your room is at." He smiled nervously.

Must not be used too many women around here, I thought looking to my left where a group of guys were eying me while mumbling to each other. Morons.

Devon was flipping through a few pages on the clip board; I briefly wondered what exactly was in those files. "So what exactly do you do here?" I asked trying to strike up a conversation. Adjusting his glasses he replied. "Research mostly but I do some fieldwork as well," He looked over at me. "Needless to say I prefer doing research." I laughed lightly before I replied. "I've always preferred fieldwork; I'm more of a hands on beat the crap out of the monsters kinda girl myself." He gave me another odd look as we passed through the doors into the main structure. "I get it from my brother…" I said simply.

No less than a few seconds before we had crossed into the main building a man, well what I guessed to be a man, in a containment suit walked by; Devon looked up and stopped. "Oh Agent Kraus I finished those papers you were asking about," he said taking a slim folder out from under my file and handing it to him. "Ja, thank you Devon." Agent Kraus said dully opening it slightly then closing it, I reasoned he was looking at me kinda hard to tell though seeing as he had no face.

"You must be the new agent, ja?" He asked. I nodded. "Yeah well not really new, I used to work here thirty years ago but," I figured I'd stop there and avoid odd questions and to avoid rambling. "I've been on a leave of absence until now I'm back on Manning's request."

He nodded and said he'd see me later, before walking away. I turned to Devon after he turned to corner and we'd begun walking.

"Does that guy weird you out slightly?" I asked. "I mean I've seen way weirder things but… I just get a strange vibe from him." I shrugged my shoulders and Devon laughed lightly. "Agent Kraus can be hard to read at times." I raised my eyebrow. "You don't say…" I said slightly sarcastically as we pushed through two more steel doors marked 'Residential Wing'.

"Well his body was destroyed when he was doing a séance and the Bureau made him that suit, he had a body a few months ago but…" He trailed off and looked back at his clip board. Yet again my eyebrow was up; I thought for a second about pushing for more info but decided it really didn't matter at the given time.

We turned a corner and started down a corridor and Devon handed me a key card. "Your rooms here next to…" He trailed off as I examined the card that had my name printed in the middle on the front. "Next to what…"

I looked over at Devon but my attention was instantly drawn up to see a green man with deep blue eyes staring at us. I wanted to say something but found I was lost for words, luckily he wasn't.

"You must be the new agent." He said simply. I nodded uncertainly and couldn't help but notice Devon seemed tense beside me and the emotions I was getting from him where uneasy and filled with mistrust.

"Yeah I'm Nash…" I said then corrected myself. "Well Nyaida..." The man walked a little closer. "I'm Abe…" Devon cut him off. "Well um Agent Zander… you should get your stuff put down then I can show you where the mess hall and…" Abe cut him off looking slightly irked. "I could show her, Devon it's no trouble I'm free all day," He said curtly. "Don't you have paper work to get to?"

Devon breathed out deep and looked from me to him as though he wanted to tell me something but couldn't say it in front of Abe. "Be careful." He whispered almost silently. I frowned and watched him walk away confused as hell at what he meant. "I'm sorry about him." Abe said his voice soft. I turned to face him and pointed my keycard at him, biting me lip slightly. "You two don't like each other very much I get that." He looked down. "After recent events I guess not so much."

I slid my key in the door, it made a light beep and opened, and I threw my bag carelessly inside before closing the door again. "Well seeing as you give _me_ no reason to mistrust you, I'm going to take you up on that 'showing me around' offer." He looked up and smiled slightly. "Of course…" He waved me forward and we began walking.

"Did you know Hellboy?" I asked before I could stop myself. The fish man looked taken aback, surprise visible upon his smooth features. "Yes I did." He said shortly. Relief spread through me and I felt slightly lighter, relief flooded me. "Really? I was worried no one left here would have known him." I said. Abe looked down at me. "You knew him?"

"Since 1944," I said laughing slightly at his expression. "He's my brother, and I know that sounds odd, believe me but," I sighed. "He's family to me, you know?"

We had stopped walking, Abe was standing still turned so I could see him fully, his skin a green grey roughly textured with dark black jagged markings like lightning bolts on his forehead, his plain white button up shirt had been rolled up so I could see fin like ridges on his forearms and the slightly transparent gills fluttered around his neck. But the most startling feature I found where is eyes, pupiless deep aqua, they shown with a deep intelligence, understanding, and pain. "Yeah I know…" He said softly. "Why did you leave?" He asked. I looked down and smirked ever so slightly. "Why does Devon seem scared of you?" I retorted. He seemed to study me before replying. "Well seeing as you've given me no reason to mistrust you," He said countering my smirk with one of his own, only his faded as quickly as it had come. "I just worry that if I told you, you might begin to feel the same as the others."

I narrowed my eyes and stepped forward to rest my hand on his arm. "Hellboy wouldn't have stopped trusting you, I know that." I said making him smiled just a bit. "And neither am I…"

"I mean I just met you but, you seem like a guy who's been through a lot of tough things."

"You know that, huh?" He said. I cocked my head somewhat to the left. "Yeah I do… and really I'm never this up front with anyone, so your getting special treatment here pal."

He looked both ways and took a hold of my hand. "Come on let's talk somewhere privet."

He led me away just as the doors we had been headed towards opened and the glass headed man walked through. "Abraham, you have met our knew agent I see." Abe kept walking pulling me with him. "Yeah Johann." Was all he said before we disappeared through the twin doors.

Abe's room was dark, with a dim blue light as the only illumination that seemed to be coming from a long cylindrical tub, with a large container of water at the head of it.

I turned and looked questioningly at Abe. "I sleep there…" Was all her offered.

"I've seen _way _stranger believe me." I laughed.

He pulled a dark wood chair from his desk and sat it in across from the tank, where he sat on the rim and motioned for me to sit.

"Sorry it's a little dark," He said. I waved it off. "I'm a vampire darks kind of my thing."

He smiled, then sighed. "Well I guess I should start at the beginning, I was discovered in a sub-basement of a Washington D.C. hospital." He paused and looked at me, then continued.

I sat and listened with genuine interest as he told me about everything, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him, after all he'd been through all of a sudden everyone's acting like he's the enemy. Now I've never been one for emotional conversations but seeing this man pour his soul out to me, a person he just met, took a lot and I was content to sit and listen.

"The guy said they were my brothers. That I was the first 'new man', and," He hung his head and messaged his temple. "It's just like everything keeps going wrong and I try and try to stay together, push through it, but, I," He looked me in the eyes. "I feel like I'm broken, like I'm some kind of mistake that…"

I stood up and cut him off. "You are not a mistake…" I sat next to him. "Look I've listened to everything you've said, and I can tell you are most definitely not a mistake… no one is."

He shifted his body towards mind and examined me. "I'm one of the things that we've been fighting against for what, sixteen years," He exasperated. "I'm supposed to be a monster, and… I can't believe I'm telling you all this..."

I grabbed his face between my hands and made him look at me. "I'm a vampire… I am the definition of a monster, I'm supposed to be this blood sucking, merciless killing machine that people have feared for centuries," His look softened slightly. "But I'm not, just because someone says we're something, and yeah maybe we are that doesn't mean we have to act like it."

In a fluid motion he reached up and grabbed my wrists, lowering them gently. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be, I understand how all this can drive you crazy. I mean, after everything with Hellboy, and I'm sure everyone found out he was supposed to destroy the world, but even knowing that they trusted him, never looked differently upon him despite the fact." Abe watched me intently. "And I think it's completely idiotic of anyone, after all the time you've been a field agent for them to suddenly treat you like you're some bloody disease.

Abe opened his mouth slightly but a sharp knock on the door made up both jump. "Abe I need to talk with you, are you in there?" A female voice called through the door.

We both stood up, and Abe walked heavily to the door pulling it open slowly. "Yes, Kate?"

Kate eyed me standing behind Abe. "Should I come back?"

"No, Kate that's not necessary, this is Agent Zander, Manning requested her to return for the time being."

I shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, I worked here about thirty-five years ago…"

Kate raised her eyebrows. "Really? Oh um well, welcome back."

"It is nice to be back, Thanks."

Abe straightened up more. "Kate?" He asked sounding slightly impatient.

"You're needed in the briefing room."

He sighed. "Nyaida, why don't you go get unpacked," Kate watched us oddly. "I'll meet up with you later."

I nodded. "Yeah," I moved out into the corridor. "Nice to meet you Kate."

"You too." Was all I heard before I slid my key in and disappeared into the dark.

Kate turned to face me. "Abe what are you doing?" She asked almost scolding tone.

"What do you mean, 'what am I doing?' What did it look like, we were talking, she told me she knew Hellboy. I wanted to make her feel welcomed." I was beginning to feel quite irritated as she sighed heavily.

"Abe ever since that thing with the skull guy," She started as we began walking. "And look I know you're taking it hard…"

I cut her off hearing the coldness in my own voice. "Maybe if everyone here would stop acting as though I'm going to snap and turn into one of them, I wouldn't be taking it so 'hard'."

"No one's acting like that, Abe." She said.

"It's fine, really, because at least the new girl as sense enough not to mistrust me over it."

Kate slowed slightly. "You told her?"

"Kate she refers to Hellboy as her brother for Christ sakes, they obviously were close!" I lowered my voice a notch. "And if he trusted her, then I will."

"How much did you tell her?" Kate pressed.

"Everything." I said sharply. We had reached the briefing room. "It was my decision, I did it, end of story."

I walked into the room leaving Kate standing outside dumbstruck.

Everyone's eyes were on me as I moved across the room to a hard plastic seat towards the back. People would have to turn all the way around to stare that way.

Kate walked in, glanced at me then down to her clip board. "Ok people, it's been a long day, but we have some assignments to hand out, due to the influx of so many of you that are new, we're going to be assigning mission this way until everything's up and running."

I sighed. So much for having the day free. As I sat there my mind wandered to Nyaida, the way she stood by me not even having known me at all. The way she held my face in her hands, her cool smooth skin against my rough… I shook my head and placed my hand over my eyes. No don't even go there.

"Alright everyone, in Oregon, we have a doomsday cult, the usual reports, anyone want to take this one?"

"I will." I said raising my hand slightly. Everyone's eyes were back on me.

Kate eyed me. "Ok who wants to accompany Agent Sapien…"

Nobody raised their hands, all shifting uncomfortably.

No surprise.

"I'll go with him." A lightly accented voice said from the door way. Nyaida stood in the way leaning against the frame. She hooked a thumb behind her. "I unpacked, figured I'd listen in, and seeing as no one's jumping to volunteer, I'll do it."

She smiled in my direction a gesture I returned.

"Are you sure?"

Nyaida strode in, her confident walk reminding me more and more of Hellboy. "Positive, I've been in the field before, I'm not new to any of this, and besides I need a little action…" She frowned slightly at her choice of words. Kate gave me a quick look.

"But what if one of you is needed here?" Johann spoke up. God I was really starting to get frustrated with him. "Agent Zander should stay back, it doesn't make sense to send the both of them, Ja?"

Before I could speak Nyaida spoke. "Look if there is anything I learned from years of fieldwork with Hellboy it's that if a job seems easy, it's not."

Whispering filled the room.

"Alright you two, you're on this one." Kate said finally.

Nyaida took the case folder. I walked over to her and followed her out of the room.

"Looks like it's you and me." She said smiling up at me. I flipped through the folder she handed me. "Yeah, you know you don't really have to come if you don't want."

She laughed. "And stay here with that Johann fella? Yeah I think I'll pass."

"You don't like him?" She gave me a strange look.

"I think there's something under the surface he's not showing, I mean yeah he could be a really nice guy, and I could just be wrong for judging him so quickly but," She paused. "I just get an odd feeling about him, my guts telling me there's more then meets the eye."

"You're not alone there…" I murmured.

She looked at her watch. "Did you know we were talking for a whole hour and a half?" She laughed lightly.

"Really? Seemed shorter." Was all I could say.

We reached the residential corridor and stopped in front of her door. I couldn't help but feel awkward.

"I never did get to tell you my story…" She said lightly. I looked down at my own watch.

"It's only eight O'clock…" I noted. She grinned and said sarcastically. "Really? Seemed Later."

She slid her key card through the door panel. "It seems unfair for you to tell me everything so openly and for me not to tell you anything." She motioned me into her room. "You know how weird all this is right?"

"Weird?"

She laughed lightly. "Yeah, it usually takes me forever to trust anyone, but you... your alright kid."

Her room was bland for the most part, the bed was positioned in the corner, a single lamp sat next to it, and her duffel bag lie open on the bed.

"You really unpacked huh?"

She flopped down on the bed and moved the bag onto the floor. "Nothing really to unpack. Come on sit next to me." She stopped. "Or is that kind of awkward?"

I walked over and sat next to her. "Not very."

She laughed again. "I haven't had very much contact with anyone over the years so, I'm a little dull on all the mannerisms and what not, guess I always was."

She picked up my hand and held it palm up in hers. Tracing lines with her fingers.

"You read palms?" I asked. She shook her head. "No, but I've always loved people's hands."

Releasing my hand she looked up at me. "I make a lovely first impression, do I not?" She grinned.

"Are you stalling?" I asked picking up her palm, her hand was ice cold. She smiled and if I'd been anyone but myself I would have sworn she was blushing, if vampires could even blush, as I ran my rough fingers over hers.

"I was born of an Elvin mother and Vampic father." She looked up at me. "Promise you won't think of me or treat me differently after I tell you any of this."

I was honestly very taken aback at her request, and couldn't find words. My mind wondering how bad something she could tell me was that would prompt her to pre-tell me not to think different of her.

"Promise?"

I snapped out of my thoughts. "I promise."

She breathed out deeply. "My father is the King of an Otherworld known as Aenam, My mother was the sister of the Elvin king Nuada, the leader of the Tuatha de Danann. They were married and conceived me as a bond almost, binding the two races together. A symbol of peace." She looked to the side, gazing at the wall and I could imagine the images playing in her head.

"My mother was killed by humans, they tortured her, raped her, then finally slit her throat. I was in Aenam at that time, my father forbid me to go to her burial ceremony."

She stopped and as I watched her I noticed a tear fall from her face to the floor. "Why didn't he let you?" I asked, wondering why would someone prevent their daughter from saying there last goodbyes to their mother.

She turned to me hate plainly visible on her porcelain features. "Because he has no honor, he is pitiless, vile and cruel." She shot. "As far as I am concerned he has never and will never be my father."

Her look softened slightly, only slightly. "I left a few days after that, I was on earth before he knew I was gone. That was, what I could guess, a few hundred years ago." She smile weakly. "But I've learned to put the past behind me. I married in 1861."

A strange feeling grew in my chest. "Married?"

She nodded. "He had money, I needed a place to sleep. Hadn't had one of those in round a century by then. After a brief courtship," She laughed coldly. "That sad thing is at one point I though he actually loved me. Turned out he just wanted me as a vampire trophy wife.

"We lived in London, he was a prominent member of some Society, and he'd bring me around to their social gatherings and such. He'd leave sometimes for months on business," She raised a finger. "But in 1865 he just never came back."

I stared, mind reeling. "Never," I stuttered slightly. "Never came back?"

"Yeah, just like that, police questioned me of coarse but I knew nothing. Had to leave the house though, in his will her left everything to some guy, I don't know. Anyway in 1938 I met Professor Trevor Bruttenholm just out of Oxford. We both got in with the British Paranormal Society on a recommendation from his Uncle, turned out we had both known Edward Grey, small world, huh?" She mused but continued without waiting for a response. "I wasn't there in December, 44' but Trevor wrote me and had me transferred to a small air force base in New Mexico," She clapped her hands. "Worked for the Bureau ever since."

"Why did you leave?" I asked softly.

She hung her head, face shadowed so she expression was unreadable. "Family issues, a man showed up in Fairfield, tried to bring me back to Aenam by force." She looked up. "He cut me up pretty good, ran me throw with his sword." Now she smiled faintly. "Then Hellboy showed up, bust his way through the door and slammed the bastard right in the head with his right hand. Other agents showed up, Hellboy told them to burn the body as he hurried me off to the infirmary." She frowned and placed her hand lightly over her mouth before continuing.

"But as he lay on the floor, after Hellboy had hit him, he said more would come for me. I couldn't risk putting the people I cared about in harm's way. Even through Hellboy protested, I had to leave."

Sitting next to Nyaida, this woman I hadn't know 24 hours, I couldn't help but feel a strong bond forming, almost like the one that I had formed with Hellboy after he'd saved me from being some science experiment. She trusted me with all that she had told me and that meant more to me then I think she realized. "I'm glad your back…" Was all I could say.

She smiled and picked up my hand again. "It really is great to be back…"


	2. Going Rouge

**Chapter two: Going Rogue**

I woke to the sound of soft knocking on the door, my small digital clock that shined in the dark told me it was 6:42 am. Stumbling up I tripped over my disregarded bag I'd left by the bed the night before. "Damn it," I grumbled. "Coming!"

Assuming it was Abe I swung the door open and was taken aback to instead see Kate waiting in the way. "Oh um, good morning, Kate." I fumbled trying to not act surprised. "What brings you around so early?"

Kate half smiled. "I wanted to give you your ID card," I took the card she held out and thanked her.

"Most likely the Dean would like to see everyone's legit before allowing a full investigation.

"Yeah, but honestly it seems like a bust to me, Kate." She raised her eyebrow. "Some college kid hazing rituals, you know."

"They can't all be can they?" She concluded. I shrugged. "Nah, guess not, I'll just be happy to get back in the field. Thanks again Kate."

Kate lingered a moment, as if she had something to say but wasn't quite sure, finally she clapped her hands together and moved away. "Your Welcome. Breakfast starts in 15, downstairs in level C."

I closed the door quietly after having thanked her again for the information my groaning stomach sorely appreciated.

6:47, too early. I grabbed my B.P.R.D uniform and phone and ventured off in search of the showers.

As I wandered I tried to reason out where the most likely place would be, Level A was the Armory, B was the gym and training area, C had the mess hall, D offices and E was residential.

"Jeez they should give someone a freaking map..." I complained.

"Agent Zander." I spun sharp. My phone slipped out of my hand ans flew across the floor. "Jesus Devon!" I breathed. "Scared the hell out of me, didn't even hear you coming."

He picked up my phone and walked closer to me, and I recalled what Abe had told me yesterday. "You shouldn't be hanging around with Agent Sapien." He said up front.

I looked him up and down. "Abe is my friend." Devon shook his head slightly. "He want's me fired, because of what I presented to the committee about him."

"Look he told me about everything..."

"Did he?" He asked eyebrow raised. "Did he tell you he's an advanced specimen of the frogs, that he's hailed as the King of the New World?"

I grabbed my phone back. "Yes he did! Look I might have just got here but I ain't the new girl, I know how everything works. When I started here in the 40's before Hellboy was an agent I had only humans to work with, humans who didn't trust me, that thought I was a danger to have on the team because of what I was. Well you know Devon I am _**not**_a monster, and neither is Abe." I stepped closer to him. "We all have choices, and we chose to fight for the good side didn't we and just because some crazy psycho lunatic at the center of the earth tells you something doesn't make it so. And if you believe that rubbish your a complete thick headed git." I moved away. "I second Abe's motion, you should be fired."

I rounded the corner leaving him to himself. I breathed out deeply in frustration as I noticed on top of the lovely day this was turning into my phone had cracked. "Just bloody brilliant, cheap as piece of..."

"You need help finding something?" I voice half laughed from behind me.

I turned towards Abe. "Yeah I'm looking for the nearest AT&T store, you know where I might find that?" I handed him my phone and he examined the crack.

"Don't worry about it, I'll talk to Kate get you a new phone." He said handing it back. "As for the showers there down on level B."

I raised my eyebrow. "What are you stalking me?" I joked.

"Lucky guess, also not many people walk around in sweatpants and t shirts while carrying their uniforms unless their headed to the showers."

"Tushe." I pointed my phone at him. "Feel like walking me down, I don't want to chance another run in with Devon."

Abe's look turned serious. "Devon? What did he want?"

I waved my hand around. "Told me not to be hanging around we you, that you wanted him fired and were the frog king, blah blah blah, to sum it up I told him to get bent, that he's a git and should be fired."

"Maybe you shouldn't hang around me..."

I snorted. "Ha fat chance, your the only person here that seems to get me."

"Well we did exchange life stories last night."

I put my arm around his shoulders. "Yeah... from what I can tell you and my brother were close. He trusted you, I trust you. That's how it gos, I trust his judgment and I'm going to stand by you, anyway being popular is overrated."

A group of agents walked towards us casting us weird glances at my arm around him.

"Thank you, it really means a lot." Abe said softly

I smiled. "No problem," I turned to look at the agents as they passed. "All hail King Abe!" Then bust out laughing, jerking a thumb at the staring agents. "Humans, they take things _**way**_to seriously."

Abe slid his arm around my waist. "Did Kate give you your ID?"

"Yeah, woke me up." I said. "Yeah, but really, why do we have to investigate this 'cult', I mean its obviously a bust."

He nodded. "with the U.N. control we have to investigate every bump in the night they say we have to... "

I eyed him. "We're not going to investigate this are we?" He turned his head slightly. "Not exactly..."

"One day and I already feel like I'm being a bad influence on you." I smirked. "Well, were you go I go your majesty."

He shot me a look. "Whatever,_** Princess**_." He retorted earning him a slap on the arm.

"Ok, _you_ crossed the line!" All he did was laugh slightly.

We approached the locker rooms a few minutes later. "Here's the woman's shower." He unnecessarily told me as I eyed the signed that read 'Woman's Showers' on the door.

"There aren't women in there is there?" He shot me a look as if that was the stupidest question ever asked. "No Nyaida, there's a bunch of sweaty over paid football champions in there." He replied sarcastically, I couldn't help but laugh.

"_**Sexy**_ over paid football champions?"

He pointed at the door. "Go take your shower, I'll be in the mess hall waiting for you, seeing as you can't seem to find your way around here without me."

"Well then how do you expect me to find the mess hall, smartie?"

He crossed his arms over his chest. "How old are you?"

"Old enough to be you mother and more, and that's all you need to know."

He sighed. "Do you want me to wait here for you?"

I waved him off. "Go eat I'll be fine."

"I'm not going to eat until your up there, its rude." He replied.

I pushed the door open and went inside. "Abe, your a piece of work you know that!" I called back.

Thankfully there were no women in the room, which to my surprise was pretty nice. The walls were stainless steel, the floor gray tile with drains set into it. The showers were steel and clean which surprised me the most. I slipped in one of the far showers and let the warm water caress me. 

After I'd washed and gotten dressed I was in the process of towel drying my hair when two girls walked in. Great.

"...he's just standing outside..." One said.

"Yeah, freak."

I turned. "If your talking about Agent Sapien," I said coolly. "He's waiting for me."

I could feel them sizing me up and the beast inside me was growing tiresome of it.

"Oh, um... I didn't know.." I held up my hand.

"Don't even go there, I don't know the lay out of the building he's showing me around, and I would appreciate it if you didn't call my _**friend**_a freak." I tossed the towel in the bin and stalked passed them pushing the door open roughly in frustration.

Outside the cool air washed over me, making me wish I'd have dried my hair completely. But sure enough there was Abe waiting outside the door, like a complete gentlemen.

"Why don't they make more men like you?"

He laughed slightly. "Well if you listen to Devon, they do and in a few thousand years there will be a bunch like me..."

I smiled. "But _**we**_ can't let that happen." He nodded as I shrugged. "Anyway that would take away from how special you are by yourself."

"You think so?"

"Yep, damn straight I do, I mean what other guy would wait outside of a woman's locker room for them? Hmmm? Not the guys now adays that's for damn sure."

"Its like you said, don't wanna risk you running into Devon."

I snapped my fingers. "That is a good point." I laughed." But I'm starving and I need food before you start looking like Abe Sapien Tempura." 

I couldn't believe Devon would say all that to her, was he really trying to make every mistrust me that much? Then again why should I be surprised, like Nyaida had said, Humans take things way to seriously. They are quick to judge.

Her arm was back around my neck as a group of agents walked by us, I slid my arm gently around her waist.

"What are you looking at?" She asked as they passed. Then she laughed and turned towards me. "I'm sorry I just love weirding people out. I mean their going to stare anyway might as well give'em something to look at, right."

"And your a princess?" I asked.

She frowned and waved it off. "Pssh, after having spent all those years next to Hellboy fighting monsters, that life, it seems like a dream, you know? Like this is who I am, I ain't no prissy barbie doll, I guess I never was..." She faded off thinking. "Anyway as far as I'm concerned I'm just a field agent like anyone else."

She gave a two fingered wave to a passing secretary fumbling with papers. "How you do'in." The woman blinked but remained silent.

Nyaida sighed as we rounded a corner and leaned more into me. Her hair was cool and wet against my neck, man did she smell great. Jeez, what the hell's wrong with me?

We entered the mess hall and grabbed some food before sitting down at a deserted table in the far corner. "So frog king," She laughed. "When exactly are we leaving?"

I checked my watch. "Should be in about 45 minutes." She nodded and took a bite of undercooked steak. "Steak for breakfast?"

She shrugged. "Steak, its the breakfast for champions," She joked as I took a drink of water. "Oh and speaking of which where are those over paid football stars?"

I choked almost spitting water everywhere, which made her bust out laughing, and made everyone else turn towards us. "Will you drop it!" I said hoarsely. "Jeez... princess."

"Ha ha, Ok alright , go hop on a lily pad why don't ya."

"Shut up and eat your damn steak."

She smirked and bit into the meat, blood leaked from it and dripped onto the plate.

In many ways I could she her and Hellboy hitting it off, they were similar in their personalities. But the thing I liked most was how she acted as if we had know each other forever. I certainly knew I felt drawn to her, it wasn't necessarily a physical attraction it was more of an understanding between the two of us, know she knew my story and I knew her's and we accepted each other, no questions asked. I liked that.

I took a bite of my toast, plain with just butter, as I watched her brush her fiery red hair away from her face. "Don't choke." She teased smiling, and for the first time I really noticed her teeth. Two elongated fangs on either side, she must have realized this and closed her lips.

"The fangs, right... guess you noticed." She said flatly. "Yeah, sucks if I bite my tongue."

I chuckled slightly. I didn't want to make her self conscious. "Yeah, I can imagine that would hurt."

She finished off her steak and with a full mouth said. "Watch out behind you..."  
Frowning I turned and saw why. Devon had entered the mess hall and from where he was sitting you could plainly tell he was watching us. "God Dammit." I muttered.

She pointed at my watch. "We should be leaving anyway right?" I nodded.

As we stood up Nyaida put her arm back around me and started laughing loudly. "Jeez Abe you are freaking hilarious you know that!" I laughed lightly as people stared but I couldn't help but feel satisfaction from the almost angry look on Devon's face. "Man you sure know how to show a girl a good time!" She faked wiping a tear from her eye.

I smiled and pulled her closer to me playing it up. "You know it babe." And I shot a death glare at Devon.

Bellingham, Washington

The cloud cover was thick when we landed at the small municipal airport just outside of Bellingham. Abe and I met up with another two agents who had already arrived. Agent Giarocco and Agent Harvey. They briefed us quickly on what they had found out so far, still seemed like a huge bust to me though. Afterwords Abe took one of the Humvees and we drove to a small motel not far from the airport.

"Gee thanks Abe..." I joked. "I though we were friends."

It was hard to contain my laughter as he looked at me confused. "What? What's wrong?" His voice laced with concern.

I crossed my arms. "Bringing me to some sleazy motel, couldn't you swing for at least a Holiday Inn." I said, still amused at the look on Abe's face as he realized what I meant.

"Oh Jesus Nyaida!" He said loudly. "I'd never! You thought I..." He gasped pointing at him self.

I broke out laughing. "I'm kidding Abe, jeez only kidding..." I said hopping out of the Humvee slamming the door behind me. Abe hustled out. "Dammit Ny, jeez..." He massaged his forehead. "Well I'm going to feel stupid suggesting this now..." I raised my eyebrow as he leaned back against the jeep. "Do you want to share a room?" He held up both hands to stop me from saying anything. "Now before you think anything hear me out, I sleep in the bathtub anyway so the bed will be vacant and if you wanted to we could just stay together." He said quickly.

"I've stayed in rooms with Hellboy before, Abe," I said. "And he snores something horrid, so staying with you will be a walk in the park."

He breathed out looking relieved. "Yeah I know..." He half laughed.

That night we sat together and watched old reruns of shows neither of us really cared about. I had placed my gun on the bedside table, Abe said I was crazy, but you never know. "Someone could break in you wouldn't hear them cause your submerged and I'd have to fumble around to find my gun. This way I got it right there." He had looked suddenly worried. "Maybe I should sleep on the floor?" I had waved him off. "I'm not 12 jeez..." Giarocco had call to let us know to meet at Musgrove college instead of the Unitarian church. I knew it was just some college kids.

We ordered Chinese food from the local restaurant, Abe bought. And as we had ate we reminisced about Hellboy. "You know in '64 we were in Romania, now we'd been drinking," Abe laughed. "Yeah, yeah well we got to walking through the woods and a werewolf," I stressed. "A _**Were-WOLF **_bit me on the ass." I said definitely. "Really? Wow..."

I nodded. Abe had pulled out a flask he had hidden away filled with bourbon and we had both gotten a bit tipsy. "Yep right on the ass, and my brother, pssh whats he do? He starts laughing _**his **_ass off, finally like five minutes later pulled the beast of me!"

Abe nearly choked again on his egg roll. "That's Hellboy for you..." I smirked and grabbed his flask away from him, taking a big drink from it I nearly fell over.

"Save some of that will you! It's not like I can drive out and get more." He said snatching it away and bringing it up to his lips only to find it was empty. He glared at me and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Princess," He said sitting up straighter. "You are going to have a headache tomorrow."

I looked over at the clock. 12: 14 am. "Guess what frog king, it is tomorrow!"

"Crap, I'm supposed to be up by seven, Kate's going to call." He looked at the clock and then me. "Can I trust you to wake me up at six?"

I nodded. "Yes Abe I will wake you up!" I said. "I promise."

Six a.m came and went, Nyaida was still sleeping like a baby. I had to laugh as she snored softly. Grabbing the computer I looked up the story I had been following. The head line read, 'The return of Bigfoot', reading more into the story it read, 'pale white as any snow you ever laid eyes on', 'ten feet tall', in my mind it meant one thing, Wendigo.

Nyaida rolled over he hand settling inches from her hand gun. The computer suddenly went of and an icon popped up reading, 'Headquarters calling'. I clicked off it as fast as I could but Nyaida was faster she jumped up grabbing her gun as if she'd been waiting all night to shot something and fired a shot right though the door.

"Jesus!" Kate's voice came though the speakers.

Nyaida looked around. "Oh man...I'm so sorry." She clicked the safety on and set the gun back down on the table and clasped her hands together in my direction. "Sorry...sorry..."

I laughed lightly. "Well good morning sleeping beauty." She flipped me off.

Kate cleared her throat loudly making me look over at the web cam. Her eyebrow was raised and when Nyaida closed the bathroom door it was question time. "You slept together?"

"No! I slept on the floor, because I knew she wouldn't have woken up in time to wake me up in the bath tub."

The bathroom door slammed open and Nyaida pointed at the clock. "The alarm clock is apparently broken, ain't my fault!" She shot passing the blame to the small electronic device.

I sat up straighter. "That's funny because it woke me up." She frowned.

"It did?"

I nodded and she grunted and closed the door again. Back to Kate.

"You still aren't sleeping well are you?" I asked. I could here the shower turn on behind me.

"Not much. Anything new?" She asked jerking her eyebrow up again and smirking slightly.

I frowned. "No Kate, I told you we wouldn't start canvassing until eight o'clock. You're the one who insists on calling at seven." I set the computer down on the table and stood up.

"This is supposed to be a conference call debriefing Abe. I can't do it later if I want to include the two squads we have in Europe."

I when over to the desk and poured some water into my glass as Kate said, "No shows. Both of them." I smirked slightly as I hear a crashing, like shampoo bottles falling and Nyaida voice voice swearing from with in the bathroom. "Third time this week isn't it?" I replied to Kate.

"I could call earlier if you want? And sit back down I don't want to keep talking to your ass!"

I laughed. "Sorry. And no don't call any earlier or you'll have three no shows."

"Where's the canvass today?"

I grabbed some papers and shuffled through them. "It was supposed to be at the Unitarian church but Giarocco called last night, we're meeting at Musgrove College instead. Thirty miles outside of town." I looked back at the camera. "You know this 'Doomsday cult' is a dead end right?"

"They can't all be dead ends." Kate said stirring her tea. "So how are you doing, Abe? You feeling Ok?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I feel... Aww come _**on**_! This isn't still that crap with _**Devon, **_is it?"

"He's a member of the B.P.R.D core committee, Abe..."

"Yeah who needs to be fired." Nyaida's voice said from the door way. "Telling me to stay away from Abe, that I shouldn't hang around with him..." She went on before mumbling. "Dumbass."

"Look do you want to know _**my **_solution for his, 'core membership'?"

Kate smirked. "I believe you've already aired that proposal and the committee is taking it under advisement." She laughed. "I'll ring you guys at eight. So long."

And the screen went blank. I turned to Nyaida who pointed at the bullet hole in the door. "I ain't paying for that."

I stood up. "Let be get dressed and we'll leave off," I answered. "I'm not paying for that either."

Abe hurried off to take a quick shower and I took this chance to snoop around his computer. I pulled up the page he'd last been looking at. "Return of Bigfoot?" I muttered. "British Columbia?"

I became to enthralled in the story I didn't even hear Abe walk up behind me. "You used all the hot water." He said deadpan. I jumped and almost knocked the computer on the floor. "Oh jeez, you scared the hell out of me!" He laughed slightly and pointed at the computer. "That's were we're going."

"Bigfoot hunting?" I said. "Look I'm all for giant apes in the forests and yada yada but I mean is it worth our time?"

He shook his head and sat down, and I noticed he was only wearing his shorts, his skin still semi wet from his shower. "It's not Bigfoot, its a Wendigo." He said simply.

"A cursed ghost..." I said in realization. "Pure white, normally found only in Canada... they usually only target murders. And once they kill, their soul is free and the soul of the person they killed is trapped."

Abe nodded. "I have a hunch, its silly really but I have to look."

"I understand, Abe."

We drove into Canada without much difficulty, Abe phoned Giarocco and signed the Humvee out, told her he'd ran it by Kate and that we're headed north. I had the radio on until Abe couldn't stand the Canadian pop music any longer and had threatened to shoot the radio if I turned it on again.

The town of Marekeos, British Columbia was small, seemed like everybody would know everybody else, except for one problem, where was everybody? The town seemed abandoned, deprived on life as if the rapture had taken place and the whole town had been taken up, the place had likely been abandoned for maybe a little over a day.

"Abe?" I asked. "What would do this?"

He kept his eyes on the road and didn't say anything.

"It can't be a Wendigo?"

He slowed the car and stopped in the middle of the street. "Stay here."

Before I could object he got out and walked into the deserted laundromat. I turned the radio back on.

When he finally did come back he slammed his fist into the button that turned it on and off so that it stayed in and wouldn't turn back on. "I warned you." He said before driving off towards the outskirts of town.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I glared at the now useless radio.

"There should be a map in the glove compartment, look for service road #217. The last sighting was made there there nights ago."

Three hours after we left the town night had fallen. Nyaida shifted next to me in the passengers seat. "Go go sleep, I'll wake you when we're there. If you promise not to shoot me."

She shot me a look. "Maybe if the radio wasn't broken I would have something to do. I hate silence."

I looked over at her. "Then talk to me. What's your favorite band?" I asked.

She frowned then smiled. "I have to many to choose."

"All crappy pop singers, huh?" I joked.

She slapped my arm. "No... I'll listen to anything." She replied. "But you broke the radio."

I slammed my fist into the radio again and the button popped out and the radio came on. "There now find a decent alternative station."

She just looked at me and didn't to anything.

"What?" I asked.

"I kind of like this song." She laughed. "Lady GaGa is Ok right?"

I punched the radio again. "There... so what's your favorite movie?"

"Wait a minute I get to ask you something." She said. "What's your favorite band?"

I thought. "I like Sting or the Dire Straights are good too."

She nodded satisfied then had to say something sarcastic. "What no Motley Crew?"

"Shut up."

She laughed and punched at the radio but only succeeded in cracking the clock.

"Good job." I said, though I couldn't help but laugh.

"Whatever frog boy."

By the time we stopped the car and got out my legs were killing me. "I swear Abe you hit every pothole in that damn road." I said cracking my back.

He grunted and continued scanning the map. I sighed and began to wander around.

"Ny!" Abe called. "Don't go off, stay with me, please."

"What are you scared?" I joked.

He shot me a look that said he wasn't screwing around, and I noticed I couldn't hear anything.

"Abe? Do you notice there is no sound? I mean like really, its dead silent."

Abe pulled out his gun and walked towards me, I drew mine as well. "Come on lets just stay together."

As we walked a bit deeper Abe began muttering. "What they hell's the matter with me, coming out here." He said. "Bringing you out here. I mean what was I expecting to find?"

Just as I was about to answer a gun shot crackled through the air. Abe and I both spun and aimed at the man who stood very near behind us. Atop a mound of earth he stood unshaven, wearing what appeared to be an old army camouflage uniform, completed with the hunting rifle he held. Though, it was not aimed at us.

"What the fuck are you doing here, fish man?"


	3. Blood Lines and Blood Lies

**Hey! Sorry it took forever to get this one up! I wanted to get the story line and everything spot on! So rate and comment! ...Or else Nash will find you.**

* * *

Kate shuffled through some old yellow folders that had yet to be scanned. She'd been working a good portion of the night, caffeinated green tea fueling her work effort. Her head hurt from thinking. Liz missing, Devon on about Abe, that new girl, the U.N.

Running her fingers through her hair she sighed and dared a glance at the small digital clock that projected the late hour for her to see. 12:46 pm.

It wasn't necessarily the amount of paper work that was keeping her awake, but worry. The new agent, Zander, there was something not right about her, the way Abe trusted her so readily with his secrets, the way they had seemingly ran off together up north. Not to say it couldn't have been Abe's idea, what with all the stress that has been put on him lately, that could account for him acting so rashly. Still something wasn't right, she was a vampire, and vampires were known for being able to seduce and hypnotize people to do their wills, or lure them to their deaths.

She massaged her forehead. 'Or maybe I just need sleep.' She thought. Downing the last little bit of her tea she made to turn off the light when the door was ready to head for bed, when the door had been thrown open. And five minutes later she was still sitting in her office, not shuffling through folders but instead listening to Johann complain about Panya's hybrid monkey.

"Will you just let the poor dear get to sleep for Heavens sake!" Panya exclaimed. But Johann wasn't deterred. "This is exactly what I am talking about!"

The mummified woman looked at him dully. "What in God's name _are _you talking about?"

"You invoking _false concern _for her, rather then refuting my claim."

Panya laughed slightly. "Well he's a monkey mostly, they're mischievous, they grab things. Why make anymore of it then that?"

Kate sat listening to the bickering, hand across her eyes, wanting nothing more then to get some sleep.

"Ah! And _these_ are just a coincidence then? We're really supposed to believe that?" He said. Brandishing a set of keys, jingling them slightly in front of Kate, who stared boredly at him.

"You said that before and I still don't know what you mean."

Johann pointed accusingly at Panya. "One of these keys opens the door to the former green house. You know the one where we house all the beast we rescued from the Indonesian Island. Along with _her_!"

"The pelican-monkey stole the keys on purpose?" Kate asked slightly more intrigued. Slightly but not much.

"_Preposterous_!"

Johann shook his glass dome. "We _know _what you _do_, Panya!" He exclaimed. "You get into the minds of animals of lower intelligence and used their bodies like _puppets_. That's how you contacted us in the first place _isn't_ it?"

"And she's been trying to get us to release those creatures since she arrived! It all makes sense."

Panya spoke again. "Does it? After I released the animals what was I going to do? After all you would just round them up and put them back again. Seems a silly thing for me to do."

"_There_! That patronizing tone again!"

Kate lost it. "SHUT UP!" She snapped. "You see these? These are files of cases I _never _would have taken six months ago! In fact I never would have even heard about them! But now with the U.N. money keeping our doors open, we've got U.N. oversight." She knocked a folder full of papers from her desk spilling its contents all over the floor. "Oversight that means I have to check out every single creaky board they say I have to. My days-and-my nights!- Are filled with this crap!" She stood up. "And you!" She pointed at Johann. "Are keeping me up so I can hear about your paranoid fantasy! Which, by the way, would never have happened if you had been where you where supposed to be- on _monitor duty!_" She hooked a thumb to the door. "A duty your going to fulfill _right _now!"

Johann stuttered slightly, obviously flustered that she wasn't siding with him. "But , Kathrine-" She snatched the keys out of his hands. "And give me those _God damned keys!" _

Panya clapped behind her. "Brava, dear. Brava!" Kate rounded on her. "_Give it a rest!_"

"Oh well I-" The mummified woman said taken aback. Kate cut her off.

"_This_," She jingling the keys in front of her. "Wasn't a coincidence. Your pelican-monkey pal's not enough for you anymore, is that it?" She continued with out waiting for a response. "If you want something you can't just take it! That's not how things work around here!"

"Sweetie-"

Kate rolled her eyes and pointed accusingly at her. "Cut the _crap,_ Panya. You've been doing your best to stay on the fringes of our group for _months_. Either you're part of our team or you're not." She opened the door wide. "_Figure it out_."

Panya's expression was unreadable. "_Now get out and let me sleep!_"

Nyaida took a long drag on the cigar feeling the smoke burn down her throat and fill her lungs before blowing it out into the night.

Abe sat next to her dragging on his as well. The man they'd encountered, Abe told her, was Benjamin Daimio, who had since left to retrieve somethings from his 'secret camp'. While he was gone, Abe told about what had happened back in 2007. "Johann, I think is still bitter over what happened." Abe told her. "He had that body, he was alive again, and that thing Ben turned into kill it."

The vampire nodded. "I can understand that." She said simply. Abe shook his head. "But you see having that body he skipped out on his duties, personally I think it would have been better if I'd never brought those things back. Now all he does is sit and stare at the under developed one that he can't have." Abe sighed and looked over at her. "I killed an innocent man that night, and then Johann," He scoffed. "Said he wouldn't have a problem destroying Ben..." She touched his arm gently but said nothing.

A twig snapped from behind us but neither of them flinched. "I could here you coming from a mile away." Abe said, taking another drag.

"And I could see your fire from _twenty _miles away."

Abe turned to face him. "I like that. _My _fire. _You _lit it. Good cigar by the way. Doesn't quite fit into your whole _survivalist _image though, does it?"

Ben set his bag down and sat next to Abe. "Don't know about that," He grunted. "I sure as hell couldn't survive without 'em."

"So did you get all the gear you needed from your 'secret' camp."

"Boundaries are important, Abe. Good fences make good neighbors, right?" He lit his own cigar.

Nyaida now got a better look at the former Captain. His long shoulder length black hair was tangled and unwashed. His beard was scruffy and matted, she noticed smoke waft out from the tear in his cheek as he held the cigar to his lips.

"You sure took a chance looking for me out here, just because of some 'Bigfoot' sightings in the area."

Abe shrugged. "Bigfoot, Wendigo, close enough, I figured. Seemed worth a shot." Ben cocked an eyebrow.

"It did? I mean, what if you _had _found Daryl out here? What was the plan? Ask him if he'd seen me?"

"My thinking was that Daryl had killed you-" Nyaida frowned slightly as he said this. "-And that _yours _was the soul inside the Wendigo now."

Ben looked at his cigar before throwing it into the fire and turning away slightly. "Look Abe," He began, turned to face us a pitiful look on his face. One that shown pain and remorse. "That wasn't me. That-" He frowned searching for words. "I could never have done any of that, any of it. _Ever!" _

"I was trapped inside that thing, seeing it all happen. Seeing its claws rip into _my _men. But it _wasn't _me."

Nyaida stared into the fire watching the yellow-orange flames pop and dance against the darkness. She knew the exact feeling he was describing, she'd been there, down that dark path. Inherited that from her father. The hunger that, if left unchecked, could make you crazy, the slightest thing could set you off and next thing you know a whole village is massacred, and your standing there, blood dripping from your lips, your only option to run and pray it wouldn't happen again.

"Ben," Abe said from my left. "I wouldn't have come here alone if I thought it was."

"Okay, okay thanks."

Abe stood up and straightened his jacket. "I've been searching for you because I thought you might need help. And I knew you wouldn't come to us looking for it yourself."

"And I _still _won't go back with you. You can't expect me to face those men again. Or Kate. Or Liz." He frowned. "Or Johann."

Standing up he stretched out his arms motioning to the trees around him. "This is where I belong now. No one to hurt out here."

"No. No one." Nyaida finally said. "A few hours ago Abe and I were in this town miles southwest-"

"Marekeos?" Ben questioned.

"You know don't you?"

Ben hooked a thumb at the fire. "Why else would I be practicing lousy light discipline? Happened a few weeks back. Not a soul in town. No sign of anyone at all."

"No sign just empty. Like this forest. Because I haven't heard a single animal since we left the car." Nyaida noted looking behind her. "But I _know _there is something out there."

"I felt it before." Abe agreed. "Something pulled at me. It almost hurt."

Ben looked over at us. "Don't start, Abe."

"When did I ever stop? This is my job? You do know whats going on in the world."

"I know. The whole things going to hell!" He growled. "I know how the Bureaus been handling things. A whole battalion wiped out in China? I _won't _let that happen here." He shook his head. Greasy hair falling around his face. "No. Listen, I got a lot of ghosts looking over my shoulder waiting for me to make things right."

Nyaida fidgeted uncomfortably, fighting the urge to look back behind her again half expecting that if she did she'd she the twisted remains of the villagers.

"And this is were I can do that. Nowhere else. So yeah, there is something out there," He looked at Nyaida then back at Abe. "But I can handle it." He looked away. "And if I can't-who cares if I die?"

Nyaida stared at the man she met not an hour ago and felt an overwhelming feeling of sorrow and compassion for him. Got that from her mother she figured. Empathy something her father never had. Maybe it was that his words struck her so deep was the fact that she'd thought them her self. If she were to die, if she had died, would anyone have known or cared? She thought back to Hellboy and wondered if he ever thought about his sister anymore.

"Okay, well," Abe started veering away from the subject of death. "We're here now, and we didn't bring a battalion, so maybe you could fill us in."

"Or just him." Nyaida spoke up. "I really have no business in this do I?"

Ben pulled open his bag. "Nonsense, you have as much right as anyone. Maybe tomorrow though." Extracting three sleeping bags he laid them down by the fire. "Right now lets get some shut eye."

I felt an uncomfortable weight on my chest, my body stretched to tearing point. I felt like I was being pulled through a tube, unable to move unable to breath. I panicked. Flexing my muscles against the bonds, I grunted in strain. And then just as soon as it had come, the restraint was gone.

"You are a curious one-" A voice like none other on earth said from the blackness.

I shot up expecting to wake, in the sleeping bag I'd fallen asleep in, from a bad dream. Only that wasn't were I found myself.

The sky above me was a deep grey, the trees wet from falling rain. In front of me was a man. Long grey hair falling around his shoulders mixing with his equally long beard. He appeared to be in an old grey robe, an orange stoned ring glistening on his left hand. "You're very curious."

I narrowed my eyes and stood up to face him. "And you are?"

He laughed coldly. "You know me child." He began to change in front of me, body his eyes shown a bright gold, his hair receded into his skull and small horns grew out of his forehead and all in an instant he stood before me, holding a large snake as a scepter in his left hand, towering over me. Astaroth.

"Your Hellboy is running out of time." He said voice now low, managing to sound both unholy and majestic.

"What?" I questioned. "What are you talking about?"

The setting around me changed. The sky split into a bright red, like freshly drawn blood. The trees dead in the bone dry soil. But the most horrifying thing came when I turned around.

Legions of beasts, thousands to count. Giants looming above the rest, crude but effective axes and hammers raised for battle. Ape like creatures, Frog creatures, wolves, orcs, trolls, goblins, and elves. My mothers people decrepit, angry looking things now, not even shadows of the majestic beings they once were.

" I have now shown you both this. But I have no power here." Astaroth spoke. "A hundred thousand creatures with no fear of bullets or fire, straining to be unleashed upon the world of man. The queen is in her tower, and your, _brother_," He said slowly. "Is attempting to reach her, but he can't not do it alone, or with the noble dead of Britain."

I frowned. "Hold on what are you saying?"

"If he succeeds the world will never know of this, it is a battle to be fought on distant fields, and if he fails-" Astaroth's voice faded off allowing my mind to fill with horrific possibilities.

"But," Astaroth picked up. "If he were to call that other army out of hell, for they are the only power I know that can sweep the field clean."

"Army out of Hell?" I snapped. "You expect him to do that?"

"If he believes he's good, that he was brought into the world to do good, then surly it can only be-"

I pulled out my side arm and fired. One. Two. Three. Three rounds straight into his chest. The vision ended.

"Listen to me, that is _never_ going to happen! My brother is a good man, a _good man_!"

Astaroth supported himself against the side of a tree. "You don't seem to get what is at stake here. If he were to succeed by calling up this army and wiping out these thousands the humans would live on and never know of any thing."

"It would kill him wouldn't it." I said flatly. A pain filled my chest like a dagger to the heart. "Wouldn't it!"

"If he fails he will be dead surely, but if he succeeds the future is still unclear."

I leveled the handgun at his face. "What does it matter to you if he calls up this army? Why do you care that he does-"

"Care? I was there the day the child was born!" Astaroth said with conviction. "The day his _real _father made him to be what he is!"

"His _real father_ was Professor. Trevor Buttenholm! _He _raised him! _He _taught him to be a _good man_!"

"Never was a living thing created to be so much and yet chose to be so little." He paused. "All though you belong to our world more then you know."

"What the hell are you on about-" I hissed.

But he was gone. And the rain began to fall heavier and in sheets. Thunder and lighting crashed overhead.

"Damn."

A rustling beside me woke me. I was laying on my back, hard ground underneath me.

"Well good morning flipper." Ben's voice said from my left.

I blearily looked around. "Good morning, Ben." Then noticing the empty sleeping bag next to me I added. "Where's Nyaida?"

Ben grunted. "Hell if I know, I just got up." He said. "Figured she wandered off to take a piss."

"I should go look for her-." I started.

"No, no, no, I got something else for you to do," Ben interrupted. "I'll look for her. I know these woods better then anyone."

I knew Ben was right but that didn't help stifle the worry.

After packing up our equipment Ben led me to a small lake who's waters were black as tar.

"Local's call it Hell's kettle." Ben explained. "If there were any locals left."

"Names for the lakes in England?"

Ben shrugged. "Couldn't tell you. It's just a really deep lake. Bottomless supposedly. Anyway, _this _is the center of it all. All those bad vibes, you and that girl talked about, come from right here—and it only started about a month ago. Been trying to figure it out, but that tannic water, black as night... there's just know way to know whats down there."

I had already begun to undress. Slipping of my jacket, boots, and pants, leaving me in only my shorts, belt, and black t-shirt.

"Well, there is _one _way, right?" I said.

"Lucky you showed up, isn't it?" Ben said as I climb onto a fallen tree that hung over the lake. "You know there_ is equipment_ people use to do just this sort of thing. You realize that ."

"No shit? Do me a favor, then? Bring me some on your next visit." He said sarcastically before I drove into the ink black water, slicing into it with out a sound.

Rain drenched me to the bone. I was cold and uncomfortable and completely unaware of wear I was. Then I noticed a clearing up ahead where a large gathering of people where standing around a small inn.

"Finally, people." I mummbled. "Maybe I can find out where the hell I am."

The closer I got the more bizarre the people seemed. All in tattered rags that hung from exposed bones, skin dried and stretched taut over hands that held swords. Some wore suits of armor tarnished with time, helmet visors pulled lower to obscure their faces.

I slipped through the crowd, none moved or even seemed to acknowledge me. Entering the inn noticed a small bar to my right, a mousy haired woman whipping out glasses stood behind it. The sound of sobbing drew my attention away to a red haired woman sobbing at the table by the window, a large golden sword laid in front of her.

"That's a nice sword." I said awkwardly.

She looked up and I realized who she was. "Alice?" I half asked. Her eyes widened. "You know me?"

"Yeah," I said taking a seat. "Your the baby that was replaced with a changeling, back in, what was it?" I though. "'59, Hellboy brought me to visit you a few times when we were in the neighborhood. You probably don't remember-"

She shook her head. "No, no I do!" She said. "Your the elf girl!"

I laughed slightly. "My mother was." I explained before changing the subject. "What's with the sword?"

Suddenly she looked distressed. "It's Hellboy's" she said. "Was anyway. It's Excalibur."

"He was here?" I asked. She nodded. "Alice, you have a lot of explaining to do."

And so she began to explain the long winding and completely strange tale. Half way through, as she explained about how they had seen each other in a dream when they both were at Dagda's funeral, I stopped her and ordered a bourbon.

"Dagda's dead?" I asked in disbelief remembering how he had taken over as the King of the Tuatha de Danann.

Alice nodded sadly. "Murdered." I hung my head. To many people have been murdered in cold blood.

Sipping my bourbon I listened intently taking in ever aspect of the story. Hellboy being the King of England. Pulling Excalibur from the stone in Morgan Le Fays castle. "Well that explains the 'noble dead' that are surrounding this place." I mused.

She continued on telling about the attack when they were driving and about the Queen of Blood, Nimue.

"He's going to face her himself?" I asked a little too loud earning an odd glance from from the mousy haired woman.

Nodding sadly. "He said something didn't feel right. That is gut was telling him no."

"Well he was right about Morgan, don't trust her." I said seriously. "Believe me, there has to be something in it for her, something bad. I'd bet my whiskey on it."

"Still, I wish he'd take the sword..." She smiled slightly, tears still in her eyes. "He said that when this is all over, that he'd come back to the Bureau. He asked if I'd like to live in America." She wipe fresh tears and apologized.

"No need. Look when was he last here? Maybe I could catch up to him, or-" She cut across me looking up.

"Take the sword with you." She said. "Take it, I...I can't just throw it away after all her went through to get it."

I looked at her, brow furrowed in a look that I hoped projected uncertainty and yet understanding. "Alice, I don't know..."

She shook her head. "Please...?"

Sighing I lifted the artifact. "He just left?" I questioned. She nodded. "About 45 minutes ago."

"Don't worry, Alice," I said. "I'll find him. He's my brother, I got his back."

She smiled at that.

I apologized to the woman at the bar for not being able to pay, and set out again, wading through the army of dead people who know all turned in attention as began to march after me.

"Oh...crap."

Hellboy stared at Baba Yaga, not believing he was honestly considering cutting a deal with her.

"And if I do?" He grumbled.

The witch sighed. "The world is done with me," She began. "I live in a dream of a Russia long gone, and there I will remain...till the world ends."

She looked up at him holding out her hand. "Only let me have two eyes to see that end come."

Hellboy looked at her hand, aged and grey, nails long like claws. He tossed his cigar to the ground. "Okay..."

I ran, hard and fast leaving the army behind me. Taking up this sword would not mean I was going to lead some undead army, no way that wasn't the deal. Come to think of it, what exactly was the deal? Good thing for me that the undead army couldn't move _that _fast.

"Pleeeeeeese..." A hoarse voice called faintly. "Leeee do thooil..." It called again in Irish.

I followed the sound and what I found surprised even me. A pig hung from a noose, bleed from several bullet wounds.

"What happened to you?" I asked. Moving closer slightly to examine the shells on the ground.

The pig coughed, blood bubbling out from the side of its mouth. "Hellboy..." It started. "When he burned me with the iron...I wanted revenge, but not all this." It coughed some more. "Forgive me."

"You were the changeling." I said. "That took Alice's place weren't you?"

"Gruagach..." He moaned.

I raised my eyebrow. "I knew a Elvin man by that name, my uncle introduced us, long ago. When they went to kill the giants that had risen, you rode out with his sons."

The pigs sighed. "That was a good day..."

"Two of my uncles sons were killed that day."

He looked up at me but didn't say anything. "Your the one who brought Nimue upon us?" I asked. "Aren't you?"

"I only wanted revenge..."

"Don't you have any idea what you've done?" I hissed. "You might have just as well killed us all."

He began to sob. "Please princess..." He cried softly. "I just want to die..."

"Looks like your shot up pretty good already."

"Cursed to suffer but not die..." He explained. "Till the world ceases to turn."

"Well," I began. "Lets hope that day doesn't come for a long, long time." My voice sounded bitter and cold, even to my own ears.

As I walked away I heard he mumble another apology, and I had to admit, to myself and no one else, I did feel sorry for him.

But I had other places to be and so set off for a place I had spend a lot of my time after having left Aenam, Renvyle, Ireland.

Renvyle had changed, significantly. Though still breathtakingly beautiful. Standing on the shore I could see off in the distance a small island. The Island known long ago as Áit Scíthe, Place of Rest.

I enlisted the help of a small boat captain who was more then willing to take me up to the island. That was one of the things I loved about this land. Up here people helped other out, they didn't turn them down, they treated everyone as friends.

My mind drifted to the memories of the small village. I shook my head and concentrated on the choppy blue waters. I shivered slightly. Maybe not the best thing to concentrate on.

If I ever get back to the Bureau, I thought. Make a note to have Abe teach me to swim.

The man, Adan, asked if I wanted him to wait here while I went about my business. I declined and thanked him again.

A few small houses where set up on the west end of the Island, no one, it seemed, ventured to the southern end. The burial end. Maybe it was some kind of Elven magic that kept the humans away. Whatever it was didn't matter at this time. I was here to visit my mothers grave, for the first time since I'd run away.

A small stone set into the ground, a Celtic royal seal engraved on its rough weathered surface. "Ceadaigh dom sliocht." I mumbled in the old language. A rumbling began, deep in the earth, followed by a cracking noise before the ground in front of me gave away, revealing an old passage way I had seen ages ago.

I descended the steps, and the memories flooded me, bombarding my mind. My mother's long red hair, pale smiling face, bright green eyes, clad always in white. Apposed to my father, face gaunt and lifeless, eyes a burning red. When a war between the human's and magical beings broke out, I went against him and fought. When I returned I could remember he wasn't pleased at all.

"_You should know better then to go against me," He snapped. Backhanding her to make his point clearer. "Do you have any self control!" _

_Nyaida stood still as a statue looking her father in his cold dead eyes, but never said a word. _

"_You are a disgrace to me." He hissed. "Eca-som." He said to his guard, who was every bit as brutal as he. "Take her to the cells, maybe a few years of..." He thought over his choice of words briefly. "Reform. Will set you straight."_

_Eca-som came behind her and bound her wrists with rope. Tying it so tight as to make her hands numb, and her wrists bleed. _

"_Uncle will find out about this." She said carefully. "And when he does, you'll be sorry. The Elven world is where I belong." _

_He slapped her again before Eca-som led her away. _

I stood in the royal burial hall. Sea water leaked through the ceiling giving the room a briny scent laced with old air.

My mothers was in the middle, to there left, Nuada and his wife and sons. To her right Dagda.

The words that had been inscribed on it shone brightly still, despite the lack of up keep. I couldn't help but think that she must be dust by now. There she was right it front of me. Six feet under, did she even know her daughter stood so close, half wishing she could join her in peace. No one would know, certainly no one would find her body. Abe wouldn't miss her, would he?

I sighed and laid down, stomach feeling empty and yet strangely like lead. I cried myself to sleep.

"_Nyaida." A voice soft like the wind called. "You have to get up."  
I grunted and waved the voice away. "Child you must." It said._

_An ear splitting scream filled the room. I shot up looking around and realized I wasn't in the tomb anymore but a circular room that seemed entirely of stone. A hole in the ceiling allowed the full moon's light to shine down onto an alter where a woman was chained on a stone alter. Long red hair that looked crimson in the dim light, Blood stained white gown that was shredded to rages so that she appeared mostly unclothed. _

_My heart felt as though it was being stabbed, my breath caught in my throat, I realized who the woman was. _

"_Mháthair..." I whispered, eyes wide in horror, now I knew what I was witnessing. My mothers death._

_Three figures gathered around her. One was covered in coarse black hair, its legs ending in cloven hooves, two horns rose from its skull, its face elongated like a horse._

_The second was tall and deathly skinny, boney arms ending in sharp pointed fingers that seemed to have an abnormal amount of digits, all stained dark at the tips from what I could guess was blood. _

_The third was tall, and strongly familiar, Astaroth. _

"_You son of a bitch!" I screamed jumping at him only to fall straight on my face nose cracking horribly against the stone ground. He was like a ghost and I couldn't interfere. Blood dripped down my face and pooled in the back of my throat, I spat it on the floor. _

_My mother struggled, chains rattling against the stone. A fourth figure emerged holding a glass chalice. Hatred erupted in me like lava from an active volcano. The he was, the man who ruined my life, there stood my father. _

_He smiled down at my mother. "Tá súil agam agat a bhain dó." 'I hope you have suffered.' _

_She screamed again, shouting word that I couldn't make out. My father, if he could be called that, nodded towards the skinny demon, who smiled widely exposing a mouthful of sharp needle like teeth. It raised one of its fingers, sliding it across her throat spraying blood over Astaroth, before father raised the chalice and collected it till the glass container was crimson._

_He raised it. "My brothers," He said. Look of triumph on his face. "To the end!" He brought the cup to his lips and took a drink before passing it around. _

_I was sick. Sick with rage and sorrow. I closed my eyes and wished more then anything to leave, to wake up back in the cold tomb. _

"_Wake up!" A voice screamed. "Wake up!"_

_I looked and for the first time in my life I felt like fainting. The stood my mother looking down at me throat torn open, blood dripping down over me. "He's here, it was all a trap!" She screamed. "Wake up!"_

I sat up screaming, drenched in cold mist from the leaking ceiling. My head ached and the taste of blood, my blood, was fresh in my mouth. Reaching a cautious hand up I touched my nose and recoiled in pain. It was broken.

I looked down, my cloths were bloody.

"So now you know..." A deep sophisticated voice said from the shadows. "I knew your mother's restless spirit wouldn't let anything lie."

I jumped up, hand shooting to my holster for my side arm. It wasn't there.

"Looking for this I presume?" He said holding up my gun.

"No, why would I be looking for that?" I said nonchalantly.

He laughed coldly. "I knew you'd be here," He said. "You would return here one day."

"You killed her." I hissed. "Why?"

"She would have interfered with the plans." He said. "But now they are no more. The elves are fading, all turned to her side. Mab, is dead. She was the last of the pure bloods. Her blood painted on the face of a beast by Nimue, to make her champion."

He scoffed. "But your '_Hellboy_' killed him."

I smirked. "Good on him."

"I'm so disappointed in what you've become." He said feigning sorrow."

"You wouldn't be the first." I said. "Your a demon aren't you?"

He seemed to think before answering. "Yes." He confirmed. "I am Armaros. I was the eleventh of twenty leaders of a group of 200 fallen angels-"

"Watchers..." I said.

He nodded. "I guess now you would consider me a demon."

I said nothing, I stepped closer to him, and closer to Excalibur I had hidden under my BPRD jacket.

"Tell me..." I started, buying time. "What would she have interfered with?"

"Ah, see, I knew you'd come around," He said. "I knew you'd want to know. See our people are from Hyperborea, they where the followers of Hecca-Emem-Ra, the black goddess. Hecate, and as she was cursed to never bear the sun again as were we."

"So your not a vampire..." I moved closer still to the sword. Almost, so close.

"Depends on what you definition of a 'vampire' is. I am immortal, I feed on blood, I have no soul..." He chuckled lightly. "Nyaida, you must see, it is your destiny, its in your veins. You are the link to Heaven and Hell."

"Explain?" I was so close.

"The elves are pure, descended from the angels who had no choice but to fall with us, the ones who were responsible for the creation of the Ogdru-Jahd, the seven who spawned the three hundred sixty nine Ogdru-Hem. Plans are in motion, already Nimue's army grows thousands strong. Your '_brother_' has a choice, Astaroth tried to convince him to call forth that army from hell."

I smirked. "Bet he decked that mother fucker didn't he..."

My father's face remained blank. "Yes, it seems his temper gets the best of him."

"It piss's him off when someone tries to get him to destroy the world..."

"His is only the harbinger of the Apocalypse, we are the one's who will rule over this world of men. The new race is emerging..."

"The frogs?" I was so damn close.

"Yes," I smile contorted his face. "And I'm pleased to see you have become quite acquainted with the one from the sea."

"Abe, you mean?" I said.

"Yes, the amphibious man," He said. "But even after he takes up his crown, the Ogdru-Jahd will wipe the slate of this planet clean and we will live in a New Eden. You and I how it is supposed to be..."

"Your supposed to be dead!" I shouted. Grabbing a hold of the golden hilt I swung it, bringing it down in a tearing blow that lopped off his left arm. He screamed in pain and surprise.

My gun slid across the floor, I grabbed it and leveled it at his head.

"Give me a reason," I dared him. "One reason I shouldn't blow your head off you soulless piece of shit!"

He began to laugh, taunting me. "Kill me and you'll never know..."

"Never no what? Where the treasures buried?" I sneered. "Give me a break..."

I fire a shot into his stomach and into his chest. "Bleed out _father_."

He fell back clutching at the wall, slippery from the leaking, trying to keep himself up. "This isn't over..."

I turned my back on him and began walking out. "Oh its only just begun..."

* * *

**GASP! Will Nash ever be the same? Will she ever find her way back to the Bureau? Rate and Comment and maybe I'll get the next one out faster! **


	4. What Would I do Without Friends

**Ok sorry sorry sorry this took soooo long to get up! But I've been trying to plan it out and I have a suspicion about how Hell on Earth: #4, which will be revealed at the end in Nash's ending comments...SO READ ON!**

* * *

Abe drug up several decomposing bodies from the deep lake, all bloated and slimy. Not to mention the smell.

"See, _see_, Abe?" Ben started, pointing at the newly surfaced body. "_This_ is what I was afraid of. Your damn _Bureaucratic _approach_. _Didn't I make it clear? I don't want the _R.C.M.P.- _or anybody _else- _in on this."

"What have you got right _now_, Ben?" Abe asked. Searching the new body. "A "feeling." A feeling of "something" out there. We need a starting point and a _victim's I.D. _might get us that."

Ben coughed into this sleeve. "Fuck! That _smell_!" He complained. "You know, if we had Johann here, we wouldn't even-"

Abe's hand found what he'd been searching for. "Aha!" He pulled out a grimy Identification card.

"Tessier, Nicholas. Marekeos, B.C." He read aloud. "All right, now we need a phone. Lets head back to the car."

Ben held up his hand. "Not just yet," He said. "I want to pick us up some friends, first."

"Hey you see those towers we just passed?" Ben pointed out adjusting the holster that ran across his chest containing two hand guns. "Your cell's probably back in range."

"Battery died last night." Abe said bluntly.

As they drove back the way him and Nash had traveled before, he felt a renewed sense of worry for her. Ben hadn't found any trace of her, it was like her just disappeared. Maybe she did just up and leave, but why? Did she feel she was endangering them like all those years ago? But then why had she bothered returning at all? Nothing made scene, he just hoped she was alright.

"Well, if we're going to do this at all, guess we should do it in person." Ben said. "Gotta wonder, though- how do you think they'll take this kind of news from a strange, hairy mountain man?"

"It'll be better coming from a human being than from _me_, won't it?" Abe replied. "What's the nearest town after Marekeos?"

"Lynne."

I left the island, the catacombs and my past and headed back to the mainland. I had some favors I could call in that could get me back to the States. The closest contact lived in county Antrim, by the name of Jack McLagning. Back in the 40's I'd taken care of a banshee that was terrorizing his family.

I hitchhiked my way there. Good thing most of these folks were rural and had never seen all the Hollywood horror films about picking up hitchhikers.

When I was on missions I never had a time to sit back and enjoy the country side. But now, I truly realized what I'd been missing. The roving green hills, that seemed some how older and greener, more pure then the American plains. Instead of tales of old west out laws and big time cowboys there were images of ancient battles, druids, the magical races. And all the blood that had been split during the war. I turned away and looked at the dash board. It was weird being on the other side of the car.

The man that had picked me up was older maybe around fifty. His coal black hair giving way to strains of grey that some how seemed to make him look wiser. He had a charming smiled, white teeth, not perfectly straight but maybe that was the charm. I didn't feel attracted to him, though I was aware this was a strikingly handsome man.

"So what brings a lass like you all the way out here, eh?" He asked, looking over briefly. "You can't be more then sixteen can ye?"

I had to laugh, that was a good one. "Yeah sixteen," I repeated. "I actually work for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense in the States."

He raised his eyebrow. "Do ye? And they sent you all the way out here with out a pickup?"

"Well not exactly," I said slowly. "This is probably going to sound crazy but I was in British Columbia, and I woke up here." I said. Leaving the part about Astaroth out, don't want to freak him out with tales of demons.

"No kidding!" He said, looking dumbfounded. "And so your heading to Antrim."

"I know some people who may be able to help me get back."

He frowned. "Why don't you call your agency?"

"Hell, I would, but I'll be damned if I know the number and my phones in my coat pocket in a ruined catacomb." I laughed.

"Sounds like a hell of a way to make a livin."

I sighed and looked back out at the green hills, some sheep dotted them now. "It sure is."

County Antrim was a beautiful place, the giants causeway lining the coast with thousands upon thousands of basalt columns. Jacks rural home, build somewhere I reckoned in the early to late 1700's, lay just inland. The only one for miles, I envied that. Maybe when this whole apocalypse things was over, if it ever would be with out meaning the final end, I'd move out here. No one for miles, just the distant sound of the waves beating against the causeway, the birds in the sky and the gentle wind that carried the sweet smell of ancient earth. That's the life for me, I thought.

Jack's house was the same as I'd remembered it to be. Constructed of thick stone walls and a thatched roof. The small fence around it old and decaying. Looking towards the stables I saw no animals but a few chickens that pecked around the garden by the house.

I rapt gently on the hard wood door, movement inside assured me that someone had taken notice.

"Identify yur self!" A male Irish voice called from within.

"My name is Nyaida Zander, I'm a friend of Jack McLagning-"

The door opened slowly. A tall forty-ish man looked back at me, his red hair hung shaggy around his chiseled features. Five O'clock shadow shown around his chin. "Jack was me father." He said.

"Was," I said carefully. "I'm sorry, he was a good man."

He nodded slowly. "Aye, that he was." He confirmed. "Please come in, make yeh self a seat."

I bowed my head in thanks and entered his home. Not much had changed from the last timed I'd been here.

The same old copper cooking pots hung from a rack in the small kitchenette area that contained a small dark wood table were a middle aged woman sat. Her short black hair tousled just right.

The living area consisted of a suitable sofa and chair, a fire place with dying embers was laid into the wall across from it. There was no TV from where I could see.

"Nothing really changed since my last visit." I said softly.

"If yeh don't mind me askin," The man said once I'd taken a seat across from his wife. "How did yeh know my father? I mean yeh don't look but twenty years old."

I laughed lightly. "Well, thank you. But well, in the 40's a banshee had been terrorizing this place. Wailing to high Heavens." I said moving my hands to dramatize the event. "The organization I work for was called in and I was dispatched to get rid of it."

The woman's eyebrows shot up. "The forty's? You certainly don't look like-"

"I'm a hybrid, Half Elf and Half Vampire." I explained. Though the thought did cross my mind that maybe that wasn't exactly accurate. More like half elf and half demon. "I'm sure you've heard legends of the fairy folk that lived, and some that still do live in these isles."

"Your from that B.P.N.D, yeah?" The man asked.

"B.P.R.D, yes."

He nodded. "I heard about what's going on in the world. The fellas at the pub talk yeh know." He touched his wife's hand. "Can you stop it?" He asked. "The Apocalypse?"

"We'll try our damnedest." I said in dead seriousness. "But I need to ask you for a favor."

He nodded signaling me to continue.

"I need to get back to the states."

He smiled slightly. "Well you came to the right place! Florence's brother is a pilot."

"Small world..." I half laughed.

"He flies from the airport only a short drive away." She said. "I'll phone ahead an we'll take yeh there."

"Go raibh maith agat." I said in thanks. The woman smiled and bowed her head.

"Looks pretty dead." I said driving up towards a diner.

Next to me Ben scanned the area. "Nope. We're good. See?" He gestured over to a couple heading out of the diner. A woman with long red hair tied back in a plait who was holding a baby wrapped in blue cloth. The dark haired man next to her wearing a green flannel shirt and jeans.

"Hey, folks. Can you tell me there the sheriff's office is?" Ben asked getting out of the Humvee.

They ignored him and the man pulled the woman way back into the diner. "Hey? Oh, fuck no..."

I cocked my head to try and see around Ben's form, but he turned and rushed back towards the truck. "START THE ENGINE! START THE ENGINE NOW!"

The diner exploded. A huge grotesque tentacled monster in its place. Rows of deadly teeth replaced where a face should have been. Ben leapt in.

"That couple! We should check-"

"Their the last ones needing help here."

I floored it, the jeep lurching forward as we began speeding down the road. The tires screeched horridly before the Humvee was knocked from behind, sending it flipping out of control. I barely noticed Ben flying out the open door onto the hard pavement below.

Ben fired, one, two, three shotgun shells into the monsters gnashing jaws. "That's right fuck face! I _don't die easy_!"

Out for ammo, he through the gun to the side and sprinted off towards a deserted house.

He bust through the door, knocking it off its hinges. "HEY! anybody still_ alive _in this house better get out _now_!"

The giant beast crashed through the wall behind him. Debris flew everywhere showering Ben in wood, plaster, and glass.

"Ah, _crap_!" He took off towards the back of the home, heading for the exit as the tentacled behemoth tore into the house bit by bit.

"What the fuck!" Ben yelled. "_For Christ's sake_!What kinda _country _builds _houses _without _back doors_?"

Looking around the laundry room he sighed. "Ok. Good enough."

He whipped out the dual hand guns he had stored in his chest holster.

"_**Let's see if you can kill ME, mother fucker!" **_He challenged.

The monster grew nearer still, bullets doing little to no damage.

Suddenly the wall blew in. A blue truck sat in the gap.

"Get in the _**back**_!" Abe yelled over the roaring monster and falling debris. "I brought some of your 'friends'."

Ben jumped in the bed of the truck, greeted by a box of M67 grenades. "You sure did!"

Grabbing one he pulled the pin and whipped in into the monstrous creature's mouth as the sped away.

Abe gunned it around the corner as the gigantic beast exploded, nearly showering them in guts and slimy black blood. "What would I _do _without friends?"

What the hell would I do without friends? I though as I exited the plane onto American soil. We landed in Washington D.C. the B.P.R.D. Office wasn't far, a couple mile walk but I was just glad to be back. I may have walked out before, and with good reason, but I'm needed now more then ever.

And Hellboy?...Well were ever you are, we need you back here too.

The Bureau office was a good sized building, measuring out at about eight-ten stories, I was to lazy to count. People walked in and out, official looking business men and women in expensive looking suits and coffee carrying assistants eager to please the higher ups. Then there was me, muddy black cargo pants with matching boots and a blood sprayed grey tank top. My holster hung around my waist at an angle, hand gun fully loaded. Excalibur heavy in my hand.

Not the best idea to walk through D.C. packing heat and carrying a medieval mythical sword, but with all that is going I was the last of these peoples worries.

I walked through the glass doors, head held high, and scanned the perimeter. The guard at the door, upon seeing me whipped out his sidearm. "Drop the weapons!"

I looked from the sword in my hand and back to him. "I should have expected this," I half whispered. "Look I work..."

"Drop the weapons!" He shouted again. By now everyone had either hit the ground or stood back curious as to what would happen next.

Ok this was getting ridiculous. "Look pal, shoot me, go ahead but your the one who'll get fired..." Man I sounded almost like H.B.

He seemed to waiver and so I strode forward ready to go on with my day, when the first bulled tore into my right arm.

"Son of a bitch!" I hissed. Ok this guy was a moron. "I work here dumbass!"

He blanched. "Show your identification!" He demanded. Not ready to let his guard down yet. And not ready to accept that he'd just shot someone who had every right to be here.

"Look I was on a mission in Bellingham, Washington, I got kidnapped or something by Astaroth, woke up in England, hitched a ride here and I need to see Director Manning!"

"Where's your identification?"

I sighed. "You really don't know when to quit do you?" I frowned. "Look you want I.D? Go get it its in an underground catacomb in my jacket, probably has a dead guy missing an arm next to it."

Commotion to my left made me turn. Tom Manning exited one of the lifts, looking tired and overworked.

"Agent Zander," He said, then turned to the guard holding up his hand. "Its alright she's one of mine."

The guard looked paler then before, almost like he was close to vomiting. I could hear is quickened heart beat, the fear that he was in big trouble. I smiled wickedly.

"He shot me." I said pointed accusingly at him.

Manning's eyes widened before he hissed, "I new he never should have been giving a firearm..."

While the trigger happy, overly stupid security guard was being interrogated by some higher ups about what had happened, Tom led me to his office.

"Are you sure you don't want that looked at?" He gestured to my arm.

I waved him off. "Nah, bullet when through, I'll heal." I rolled my shoulder in its socket. "Still, hurt like a bitch-"

"I'm sure. Anyway, what happened in Bellingham?" He said cutting to the chase. "Kate called in and said you and Abe left the case and went up North."

I thought about telling him about what we'd been doing, but only for a second. Ben didn't want to be brought back, and I wasn't going to give up Abe's secrets.

"Look, Sir, we knew that case was a bust, Giarocco could handle it," He slightly nodded. "It was my idea anyway Sir, I thought if we just went off looking for something we'd find something-"

"Like what?" He questioned.

"Trouble," I replied bluntly. "I guess since I haven't been in the field for so long I was just looking for some big bad nasty-"

"How did you end up here though?"

"Long, long story, Sir, and we really don't have the time." I said. "If we get time I'll fill you in, pinky swear or whatever, but now I need a flight to Washington and a Humvee."

He sighed. "I'm only obliging you because, even though you jumped the gun, you are the most experienced agent we have," He said. "You'll leave in fifteen-"

"Thanks, Tom," I said. "You know despite everything... your not _that _bad...I guess."

He frowned as I turned and headed out the door. Destination?...Darkness.

Abe parked the truck and they'd exited into the dark silenced forest. "You're gonna have to tell me something right now." Ben said bluntly. "Where the hell'd you learn how to hot-wire a truck?"

"Interesting way to phrase that question." Abe mused. "Hellboy taught me. It's not S.O.P., but he thought it was important to know."

Ben smiled as the made their way up a hill. "Hellboy, eh?" He said. "I gotta meet that guy."

They entered a clearing, Abe's flashlight that was pinned to his jacket and tiny slivers of moon the only light. "Right, so we load you up with ammo and gear and then no more screwing around. You head straight for the border." Ben said.

"My offer's still open." Abe offered. But, Ben shook his head. "No. B.P.R.D. is _your_ deal now. Not mine. 'S what I've been trying to tell you." He looked around frowning slightly.

"Okay, but what did you mean about that couple-"

"Shhh!" Ben urged. Putting his arm out to halt Abe.

He cocked his head. "What? What is it?"

Ben had his rifle out. "You don't smell that?" Abe started to shake his head. Ben continued. "Someone else is out here. A man." He said slowly. "Right up ahead."

Abe could see the fire now. Built in a clearing close to the one they had just been in. For a split second his heart leapt. Maybe it was Nash, she'd gotten lost, built a fire and hunkered down waiting for one of us to find her. But this was short lived.

"Please stop whispering." A male voice said. "And you don't have to worry. I'm not here for you."

Ben lowered his rifle and Abe stopped. Noticing the small white coffin next to the man.

"I'm here for my son."

* * *

**OOOOOooooOOOoooo! So I think that Daryl killed the child and now its soul is in the wendigo :| Sooooo Imma wait till numero 4 to update this story BUT Imma working on another one that kinda mixes comic and movieverse sooooo when I'm satisfied with that plot line ILL POST IT! **

**RATE AND COMMENT! and Cookies 4 U! ...haters will be burned in a fire that will be used to make said cookies.**


	5. Baby Monsters and a Wendigo named Daryl

**Ok ok sorry this is so short, the next one will be better once the last issue is out. If you want more feel free to read the AlternaTive ProJekt: Also I was wrong about the wendigo thing ^^ go figure. **

* * *

Chapter 5: Baby Monsters and a Wendigo named Daryl.

Manning, who graciously gave me another phone, called me half way through the flight so I could fill him on on what had happened.

"We feel asleep and I woke up with Astaroth talking to me-"

"Astaroth?" Tom questioned.

I rolled my eyes. "Arch Duke of Hell, but anyway then I was in England, I got the sword from this girl, Alice, who told me Hellboy had it and now he's off to do his thing and I called in a favor and got back here." I summed up.

Manning sighed on the other end. "You realize that makes little to no sense, right?" He finally said.

"Yeah but, what does anymore?" I reminded him. "Big fucking volcano just springing up in Texas! Makes sense my ass."

He concurred and told me a Humvee would be waiting at the airport, I thanked him again and tried to get a little sleep, hoping at I wouldn't wake back up in England, or Hell for that matter.

"Sauer City, Idaho." The man said. "That's where we're from."

We'd all gathered around the fire and listened as the man explained his being here. My mind still worried for Zander, but I couldn't let that get to me, not now.

"We?" Ben questioned.

"Me and the wife... and my son." He answered. I looked down at the small coffin next to him and a weird feeling rose in my chest.

"I realize he's dead, all right? Don't look at me like that." The man snapped. "How _you _two can be thinking _I'm _crazy is... well, _that's _crazy."

"Listen Mr. Kihnl," I said calmly. "You said know something- something _we _should know."

He nodded but looked down. "I do. Well, I mean I don't know _how _any of it happened, but _what _happened- yeah, I know that."

He told us about his wife. How she had been seven months pregnant while he was stationed over in Fort Fuhrman and got orders to ship out. He had been expecting it but hated to leave. When he did, and started his tour of twelve months. Hadn't even been in two weeks when his caravan was blown up by a roadside bomb. Tore up his left leg pretty bad and had to be hospitalized for sometime and by then his wife couldn't fly anymore. So she wrote him everyday, except the day their son, Jaxon was born. He got home as soon as he could but things were wrong, she told him Jaxon was sick and wouldn't let him near him, though she never left his side. He had begun to think it was she that was sick. He had called her sister and told her everything. She didn't reply right away but he hadn't believed what she'd told him and went home to confront his wife, but she was already asleep. Which had given him the chance to see for himself what was going on first hand. But she had knocked him across the head with an empty bottle and when he came to she was gone. He filed charges but had other plans, he believed that if he showed her that Jaxon was dead that she'd snap out of whatever she was in and come to her scenes. She had called an ambulance for him so he thought she still cared. Right?

"But why are you here? Why _our _camp?" I asked.

"Nessa," he replied. "She's still using my credit card. Bought breakfast in a town called Marekeos near here. It's empty. Nessa was there and in a few hours everybody's gone." That certainly was interesting. "Last night, from the road, I saw your fire. Figured whoever was sticking around a _ghost town _like that might know something, so I came up here and ….well, just waited." He pointed towards me next. 'When _you _showed up, I knew you're part of the _paranormal Bureau_. I saw you on T.V. You're here to fight _monsters _you're here because of my Nessa. Those folks that disappeared, she _did _that, didn't she?"

"The woman we saw in Lynne. That's what you meant-" He cut across me though.

"Shh!" He hissed hastily. He stood up aiming his gun.

"What is it?" I questioned Ben and I also standing up.

"Something..." He whispered.

Sure enough to my delight the Humvee was waiting at the airport when we landed, also to my surprise was loaded with an M-16 and a bag of ammunition. I smiled. "Manning, you really ain't that bad."

I slammed on the radio and gunned it out onto the open road.

The trip over the boarder and back to that service road was about a three hour drive. And after getting in an argument with a Canadian Mountie it became three and a half.

"Look I'm with the U.S government." I explained. See me being me had completely forgotten that I didn't have any ID and or pass port, those were in Ireland.

"Pull over there, mam." He said. "And step inside."

I hate officers.

Upon entering they questioned me, then finally called up Manning, who I could tell over the phone was tired, but confirmed my employment and gave them an ID number. They finally let me drive off.

"Sorry for the hold up, mam." The man said. "You have a nice day."

I glared and drove off. After they were out of sight I brought my speed up to 90.

By sun set I drove through Marekeos, and by nightfall I was down the service road, where I parked the Humvee and pocketed the keys. A loud howl broke the silence and I spun around. Just across from me a good maybe 300 yards stood a large white creature, blood staining its fur down the front. The Wendigo.

It looked at me and I got the strange sense it wasn't here to hurt me. It motioned with its head in the opposite direction and howled lowly.

"What the hell?" I asked to nothing.

The silence was split suddenly by a God awful sound, I grabbed up the M-16 and took off into the woods following the Wendigo.

"Shit, shit, shit, damn fuck..." I grumbled. What then hell was I running into. Gunfire up ahead drew me in. "Abe!" I yelled. Though the sound never made it over the roar of the monster. I could see it now a huge looming black tentacled thing.

Another howl broke through the commotion and the Wendigo leapt at the black beast.

I fired my gun and slid into the clearing as Ben ran the opposite way into some thick underbrush.

"Daryl?" Abe yelled over the howling and horrible squealing of the creature.

"ABE!" I screamed. He spun at me as I emptied my clip into the beasts mouth.

His eyes went wide. "NASH!" He yelled. "Where the hell-!"

"Not now!" I called back cutting him off. "We got a monster problem!"

With a quick thought as to where Ben went, we ran, the creature in hot pursuit.

* * *

...**...There you go. Also I noticed I had to go back and put the little stars in, because they didn't come up when I uploaded the thing for some reason, so in the earlier chapters if it suddenly changes to someone elses point of view I apologize it wasn't like that on open office :D**


	6. Traitors Among Us

Chapter 6: Traitors Among Us

"Shit!" I yelled over the commotion caused by the giant monster that was following us. "What in bloody hell is this thing!"

Abe running next to me turned, firing a couple rounds; in a hopeless attempt to halt the behemoth. "Hell if I know!" He answered back.

Behind us an earsplitting scream sounded, a otherworldly screaming that shot through my body. I writhed in pain as my body went rigid and I felt to the hard ground; expecting to be killed but the beast any second... but it never came and the sound faded off.

Abe knelt down to me. "Nash!" He said, worry lacing his voice. His eyes wide as he looked over me. "Are you alright? What's wrong..."

Sitting up, a pain shot through my chest. "Ugh..." I hissed, hand instinctively reaching up to clutch at the pain. "The thing... what happened?"

Looking around confusion filled my mind. "Dead..." Abe said, equally as confused. "It just died."

I frowned as leaves crunched behind me signaling someones approach. "Just like I figured." Ben's gruff voice said. Thank God he was alright, I thought; breathing a sigh of relief.

"Jesus, Ben." Abe said breathlessly. "I thought you were dead, or worse." Ben walked around me and held out his hand helping me up.

"Thanks." I said returning his smirk.

"Nice to see you back in once piece." He noted.

Abe cut in walking closer to us. "Wait," He started. "What did you figure?"

Ben waved us to follow him. "Come on..." He said. "I'll tell you while we're digging."

He led us back to a spot near the camp; there we wrapped up the bodies of Mr. Kihnl and his now dead wife, and began to dig three graves to place them in. Each of us working on our own while Ben explained what happened. Quarter of the way through Abe stopped him. "Wait, back up a second. You can read minds now?" He questioned looking up from his hole.

Ben shook his head tiredly and wiped sweat from his brow. "No, that isn't it. That thing was trying to get into my head, I think, but I ended up inside of its... well, its mind, I guess." Ben said frowning while trying to find the right words to describe the odd series of events.

"Ok so where did Mrs. Kihnl find it?" Abe asked jamming his shovel in the dirt, hoisting himself from his finished grave.

Ben did the same and I followed in suit. "She didn't. It found her." He said a weary look upon his mangled features. "It was just a ghost at first. That's all, and it was trapped." He looked back and forth from Abe to me before starting in again. "Not trapped in anything, more like it was nothing at all." He struggled to explain. "And it, I don't know, it heard Mrs. Kihnl crying for her baby. That's what brought it here to our reality. Like some sort of dead moths ghost to a flame. But that's all it was- a spirit. It wanted to become flesh-" He looked straight at me now. "And here's the disgusting part- It entered her body and used her eggs- from her ovaries- to build a body for itself- and for a twin brother."

Now my face contorted to a look of disgust. How could a woman knowingly let something like that live in her?

"She delivered it as a larva. It was waiting to grow into one of those big monsters—like the one in Nebraska. Takes a lot of time for that though, so it wanted protection. That's what it's brother was all about, and it cleaned out the woods to get big enough for the job. Finding the right kind of food for the little guy was a bit harder. It needed souls- but souls of the living- so a little camouflage was needed. They went from town to town, sucking up human souls. The bodies..." He turned to Abe. "Well you saw what happened to those." He turned away to the bodies that laid side by side. "Anyway, that's what made me realize Mrs. Kihnl was the anchor for this creature. She was what kept the spirit here. A bullet in the heart was the only way out."

Abe looked confused almost, slightly sad. "All this because of one woman's grief?" He inquired, not exactly questioning. "That's what brought this monster out of it's prison? There's so much pain in the world, why hasn't this happened before?"

For the first time I spoke up. "Well, we don't know that it hasn't do we?"

Ben picked it up from there. "But if you think about everything, everything that's happening in this world right now? All that craziness? We're at a tipping point. Things are coming apart, this 'ghost', or whatever, it maybe just slipped through one of the rips."

"Jesus..." Abe mumbled looking away and down. "Ben, you didn't tell me Daryl was here. With you."

Ben began to pick up one of the cloth wrapped bodies. "No, I didn't. Grab the other end, will you." Abe hurried over and hoisted up Mr. Kihnl's feet.

"No animals in these woods now, but-" Ben began, but Abe finished it for him.

"-But since we killed that thing that scared them off, they'll be back soon. Don't worry. When we bring back the Bureau's investigation team, we'll get the Kihnls home."

"We can wait a day or so before we call it in." I said. "Give you a little lead time to clear out?" Ben turned to me a smirk on his lips.

"Lead time? Nash, before you two ever get to a town with a working phone, we'll be a million miles from his spot."

We filled in the hole and placed a hand made cross of two sticks tied together with twine, to make the spot where they laid. "That should make it easy for your boys to find." Ben said, arms crossed over his chest. "Just hope Kihnl isn't a Jewish name."

I could help but feel sorry for these people who had gotten helplessly caught up in the mess that was claiming the world today. Sorry for all the people really, all those poor people in Houston when it had gone to hell in a matter of seconds... No warning... No hope. Just dead, dead and more death as far as the eye can see. All the people whom the monster had claimed in these backwoods little towns; the kind of place where everybody knew everybody, the kind of place you'd feel safe at... all gone, their body's thrown carelessly away. The villagers came back to my mind.

"Ben, that 'tipping point' stuff. If that's true, you have to come back. We'll need all the help we can get." Abe informed.

The scared x-Marine turned. "Fighting the wrong war? Can't help you with that." He said lowly. "I tried to militarize the Bureau- tried to mobilize forces. Maybe then it was right, but now it's all wrong." He put a finger to his temple and tapped it three times. "That thing in California? That's not your problem. Not when the real invasion is going on in peoples minds- and their wombs, for Christ's sake!" He said emphasizing his point. "That, Abe, is how the world is going to be destroyed right our from under you while your holed-up in the Rocky Mountains."

Abe looked skeptically at him. "But you can save it from right here?"

He smirked and hook a thumb to the dead monster behind him. "Hey, I think we did a hell of a job, don't you?" He laughed. "Look whatever, the upshot is, I can't help you... But there is something you can do for me."

We had arrived back at the Colorado Headquarters a week later, after driving a beat up blue pick up truck hundreds of miles in search of a working phone; and after the investigation team searched and examined ever detail at the sight. Finally good to have a change of cloths after wearing the same blood soaked ones for over a week. Tonight we of coarse had the mission briefing. Kate looked over the files a smile on her face. "-That creature we recovered for the woods, well that's a first for the Bureau. Should learn quite a bit from that. I need you see both of your reports but," she looked from Abe to me. "Nice work. That said, how about next time you run off, you tell us we're your going?"

Next to me Abe laughed, a smile on his thin lips. "Come on, Kate. We can take care of ourselves." He said. "After what we pulled off up there all by ourselves, even you should believe that." Under the table he squeezed my hand lightly.

"We still don't know why you both were up there in the first place. Nobody had reported those missing people. Or are we supposed to believe you managed to 'intuit' the danger and go in together?"

Kate shot him a look and the tension in the room was palpable. Abe stood up and grabbed his folder. "Well, if that's how this is going to go- meeting adjourned."

I stood up to follow him, really not wanting to put up with Devon by myself when a middle aged man came in the room a laptop clutched in his hand. 'Oh, Agent Sapien, just coming to see you. Don't know what hit that car we pulled this out of, but your hard drives just fine." He explained handing the computer to Abe. "One thing, though. We did find a spyware node had been downloaded. Looks like someone's been monitoring your internet usage." Abe rounded back a look of pure anger on his smooth features. My heart stopped as I turned back towards Devon also.

Abe pushed past me shouting. "YOU LITTLE CHICKENSHIT!" He yelled. I reached out and grabbed him.

"Abe stop come on mate, don't do this here..." I hissed while trying to restrain him. Damn he was strong.

"I don't have anything to do with it!" Devon defended looking honestly terrified. Johann came beside me also trying to restrain Abe.

"Who the hell else raises an eyebrow every time I so much as sneeze?" He shouted, coming even closer to Devon; and I had to admit I wasn't really trying to hold him anymore. Hell if I had my way I'd let him kick Devon's ass, but not with witnesses. "You PUNK! You've been whispering about this stuff for weeks now, but never to my face. Now's your change! RIGHT now! Say it!"

"Abe stop!" Kate yelled, trying to move between them.

"BE A GOD DAMN MAN AND SAY IT!" He shouted louder yet. The look on Devon's face gave me severe satisfaction.

"ENOUGH!" Kate shouted right back. 'Get Devon out of here. And YOU! Have you lost your mind! I'm sick of this you two need to work this out."

Abe pulled away from us. "Just like that? The little weasel thinks I'm the antichrist!" He shot, then turned slammed the door open. "Just how am I supposed to work that out?"

I watched him go and felt like decking that son of a bitch my self. "Kate he has every reason to act like he does... after everything he's been through-" Kate cut across me.

"And you know everything he's been though!" She shot. "You weren't here! I don't know what your game is, and I don't know why Abe trusts you so damn readily but I'm not buying it."

I glared down at her and felt the beast clawing just behind the surface, though I would not let it come forth. "Kate... there is no game," I said trying to be polite. "I just care about Abe-"

"You've known him all of a week!" She shot arms thrown apart. "Why the hell should you give a damn!"

I turned towards the door, not wanting to argue further. "Because... he was close to my brother and I will look out for him." I hissed before doing as Abe and slamming open the door leaving them behind.

Down the hall I headed to Abe's room, not that I guessed he would be in a real talkative mood but it was worth a try. I knocked softly. "Abe? It's your unfriendly anti-social neighborhood vampire... wanna talk?"

There was some shuffling inside before he opened the door. "Come in..." He said quietly. I gave him a weak smile before I did as before and set in the chair still across from his 'bed'.

"I wouldn't have tried to hold you back you know..." I said. "But their were witnesses, otherwise I'd suggest we tag team him."

He laughed coldly at that. "That little fuck, can't stand him..." He set down across from me and took my hand in his; tracing my palm in the dim light as we did the first night we met.

"Thanks for... standing by me." He said softly, tracing my life line.

I smiled and wrapped my fingers around his. "No problem, mate." I said. "You didn't ask for this... and I'm going to look after you..."

He laughed lightly. "Look after me?"

"Yeah, and I swear if Devon pulls some shit like that I'll personally make sure he pays for being a nosy prick." I hissed.

We sat their a few moments, silent; just holding each others hands, before I regretfully decided we both needed a good nights rest. He agreed and led me to the door pausing to give me a quick hug.

"What's that for?" I grinned eying him.

Shrugging he replied. "Because I needed it."

"Sleep sweet frog prince." I snickered, earning a mock glare.

"You to, try not to sleep stalk and kill a janitor." I countered.

"Touche."

Back in my room I sat heavily on my bed, though I found no sleep in sight. Something wasn't right. From what I could tell back in that room Devon had felt real confusion and fear; pointing the the rational answer that he wasn't the one who'd downloaded the spyware on Abe's computer. Then who? I though frustrated.

Then there was Kate. I frowned at the thought. What the hell had I done to warrant such mistrust? Because I'd grown close to Abe so fast? I had to admit it was odd; usually it took me forever to trust somebody but Abe, he was a connection to my brother, and I guess a part of me needed that to cling to. I'd been so close to him; missing him by minutes.

I looked at the sword laid out on my bed, gold and aged by time but still having an air of power about it. I'd sneaked it back, the only one's who I told were Abe and Ben.

My mind lingered on the Captain; the man I felt a strange kin ship with. I guessed due to the fact that we'd both fell off the wagon at one point and killed good people. It wasn't his fault though, and if anyone could understand it was me... not that I was ready to talk openly about that night so long a go... all those women... all those men... the children. All slaughtered by my hand.

I shuddered, mind reeling with everything that had happened so fast it seemed. My father... Astaroth, my mother, Ben and my lost brother whom I could only pray would find his way back home- soon.

Moving the sword I laid down on the stiff mattress, flat looking up at the piped that inter-crossed the ceiling. The tipping point, eh Ben? I thought... We're going to need all the help we can get... and fast.


	7. Lies and Deceit

**Ok I know I'm so behind with this. I've been trying to go along with the comics once a month, but I've decided it kind of sucks to only update once a month. SOOO I'm going to try and be more punctual with the updating. One this, the AlternaTive ProJekt, and of coarse my beloved SLASH series. **

**I'm going to branch out and tell more about Nash and her dark bloody past, that is entwined with another agent more then we yet know. **

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Lies and Deceit

Princess Nyaida Zander stood, in along black robes, in front of the tall darkened figure that loomed over her; whispering prophecies'

'Its all lies...' Nyaida hissed, her eyes shut tight in an attempt to keep the angry tears from slipping through.

In front of her was the hooded figure; eyes shrouded from sight but a smirk could be seen as it appeared on the things thin aged lips.

'It is true,' it mocked. 'And you will be there to see the end come to pass, in all its glory; the blazing flames of a new beginning.'

Nyaida looked up in defiance fangs barred, eyes blood red.

'No! I will not watch this world burn to hell!' she all but screamed, though the figure didn't even flinch at her considerable anger. 'This is my mothers world...'

It spoke again, smirk gone. 'The elves will all but fade by that time,' it informed. 'Or turn to her side.'

'Who's side?' she demanded loudly. The specter backed away and began to fade.

'Time will reveal the answers when it is right to do so...' its voice now seemed distance and low; barely a whisper.

She lunged at him but only passed through mist. 'grae yaewl sa ee!' she yelled in the ancient vampire tongue; taunting the spirit. 'Is it Nimue!'

Now she stood in her Bureau gear; black combat pants, uniform shirt, all the standard issue equipment. But also her gun. She unholstered it and aimed it up at the ghost, now barely there. 'You son of a Bitch!' she yelled. 'TELL ME!'

'Nye?' an alarmed voice in the distance called.

She pulled the trigger.

'JESUS!'

My eyes snapped open and bright light flooded my vision. 'Gah!' I jumped out of my seat and took in everyone staring at me. God it was just a dream.

Abe's hand found the gun and pulled it away before grabbing me and making me look at him. 'What's wrong?' he asked shaking me slightly. 'We couldn't wake you and you- you stared screaming...'

I looked around at the faces that surrounded her. Devon; looking terrified, Kate; looking skeptical, and Johann; looking well, like a suit with a glass head.

'I didn't hurt anyone did I?' I asked in a quite voice.

Abe shook his head and leaned closer, 'Do you want to talk later?' he asked softly. I nodded and he looked satisfied.

'I um, I think I just need something to drink...' I said shakily standing up, but Abe tried to keep me down.

'I'll get it for you.' he said considerately but I declined and made my way to the back of the plane away from everyone else; hiding away in the bathroom.

Damn that dream... haven't had that in years. Literally hundreds of years. Pressing my palms over my eyes I groaned in frustration as I felt the headache coming on. From out in the cabin I could hear arguing.

'She's a loose canon Abe!" Kate's voice came. 'She's going to go off and people are going to get hurt. It already happened once!'

My heart sank like a weight in my chest. Fuck how the hell did she find that out!

'What?' Abe said quietly. _Yeah I lied to you Abe... but can you blame me?  
_'In Romania, her, Hellboy, and a few human agents were called into a vampire case. Something went on that we don't have a full report on, but it messed with her head and she snapped and killed two agents.' Kate explained spilling my dark secret. 'That's why she left, what did she tell you?'

You know that feeling when you feel like your whole world is falling apart at the seems and there's nothing you can do? That sinking feeling of hopelessness that erupts into your chest and its such a strange overpowering feeling of... what, exactly? Regret? Sorrow? Anger?

The memories flooded back to me...

_Romania, 1972_

_'Zander!' Agent Marx came over the com. 'Where the hell are you!' _

_I flipped it off and walked deeper into the chamber, cocky as ever. Vampire trouble, that was my area, I handle it. Haven't met one I couldn't take. _

_The room I was in was damp with mildew and old deteriorating stones. Looked like some kind of ritual room... that's when the sword ran through my abdomen. _

_'Mother fucker...' I groaned out through clenched teeth, trying to breath as the blood pooled out of my abdomen, and my lungs refused to take oxygen as blood filled my throat and spilled out my mouth. _

_A hooded figure pulled me back forcing the sword back out; slicing up more of me as it did so. I doubled over, pain overloading my nervous-system, lights began popping in front of my eyes_

_The figure collected up a vial of the blood; now pooling on the floor as I tried to stay steady. _

_'Ecca mon saa haeth mae taaa...' it hissed out as it drank down the blood. My head began to throb uncontrollably, like someone had just put my head in a vice and was cranking the gears._

_'Ecca mon saa haeth mae taaa-' it began again, only this time it was silenced by three loud gun shots that ripped through the thin old air of the dungeon. _

_'Nash!' Hellboy boomed, his deep voice loud in the confined space. I felt his arms come around me as a number of other agents came in the room. _

_Everything was a blur after that... Hellboy picked me up... shouting...fire...screams; then I blacked out. _

_When I woke my body was freezing, shivering with cold even though the room was obviously warm. My mouth was dry and my teeth hurt as though I'd been chewing on aluminum foil. _

"_Agent Zander?" Marx's voice came from somewhere to my left, but my mind was to fogged and everything happened at once._

_I lashed out at him, my hand catching him around the throat bending it back as my fangs ripped into his jugular; blood sprayed out and covered my body, pooling into my mouth. _

"_Whats going-You MONSTER!" Someone else entered the room, shots rang out. _

_Throwing Marx body down I lunged, knocking the gun out of his face I ripped out his throat with my bare hands._

"_Nash... NASH!" a deep basso profundo voice yelled. _

_I fell, the bold irony taste still profound in my mouth. A red shape ran into the room, pausing only a second before heaving me up again. _

"_Crap... what did you do..." He mummbled. _

_As we walked away my headache returned; feeling again like it had been put in a vice._

A knocking made me jump. "Nyaida?..." Johann's voice said through the flimsy door.

"Yeah Johann, I'll be out in a minute." I mumbled in response. Standing up I took a minute to look over myself in the mirror.

Same ole, same ole; short cut red hair, too pale skin, thin scar that was barely noticeable across my neck, but the thing that drew my attention most was the red tint to my normally green eyes. Red, was never a good sign.

Pulling open the door, I looked away from Johann's dome. "Are we there yet?" I inquired. Obviously he didn't need to use the bathroom so I was curious as to why he'd come to get me.

"Nein, I simply wanted to talk with you," he said as I looked up for the first time eying him. "If you don't mind of coarse."

Shaking my head I ran my fingers through my short hair. "No, no, um..." I started uncertainly.

"Wunderbar." he said, then began leading me into a back portion of the room. Looking back I caught a glimpse of Kate muttering something to Devon, Abe was no where in sight.

"I do not blame you for what happened in the past, you must know this," he began as we sat across from each other on boxes. "Things happen, and people make mistakes. You know doubt have heard about Captain Daimio, ja?"

Something felt really wrong about this whole thing. My mind went over Abe and my trip to B.C, everything that had happened. As far as I was concerned Ben had become a good friend of mine.

"Yeah, Abe told me what happened." I said not looking up into his 'face'.

Johann nodded slightly. "Ja, you and Abraham have grown quite close."

"He was close to my brother..." I said lowly. "I guess I feel like he's some sort of connection to him... hell I don't know." I hung my head in my hands. A few seconds later I felt the cold glove that was Johann's hand on my shoulder.

"You can confide in my you know..." he said, his accent thick. "About what really happened in Canada-"

I brushed him away and stood up. "Wait what!" I said harshly. "What do you-You know what happened, it... it was in the report."

Johann also stood up, and even though he was a suit he was a good 6 inches taller then me. "Nyaida, you can talk to me."

Ok red lights definitely flashing, kind of like that 'shit I just got cornered by a weird stranger' feeling.

"Look Johann, we told you what happened..." I said bluntly. "It was my fault we were up there, I was looking for trouble, and hell we found it!" I said, turning, though I really didn't want to face anyone in the cabin. "You just- I'll see you later..." I ended.

I watched Nyaida go knowing to well she was lying to me, and everyone. Her and Abraham. It was not her idea, at least not according to Abraham's internet activity. I knew what they'd both found... oh ja, I know ordnung.

Walking back into the cabin I felt like a criminal walking into a court room. Devon and Kate eyed me carefully. But my heart lurched and sank, almost painfully, when I saw Abe; staring out the window, not even acknowledging I'd come back. Man, I felt like the sorriest person on earth. He'd been so open with me, open about his painful past, about the crap going on with Devon. What did I do? I wasn't open, I'd lied to him and most likely severed our relationship forever. My connection to my brother, gone.

I sat down away from everyone and actually had to fight back the urge to sob.

* * *

**The inspiration to this chapter came from a great Breaking Benjamin song called: Breathe. **

**Check it out sometime and REVIEW! **

**(reviewers get cookies and margaritas!... and a free silkie chicken!)**


	8. Things Better Forgotten

**Ok this is the next chapter. I'm trying to get these out quicker... but yeah. R&R! Hope ya like it, Nash's got some skeletons in that proverbial closet of life. **

Things Better Forgotten

We had touched down at a small airport a few miles away from Austin, Texas. Abe still hadn't said one word to me or even looked at me for that matter. But anyway, apparently a band of punks had caught the attention of the Bureau. According to word they were following a girl who could see the future... or something like that. I hadn't paid much attention during the briefing. Though from what I could tell, the only reason I was here was because I had an insight; I knew how to get to these kids. If anyone knew the feeling of being young and wandering with out a purpose but to survive it was me.

For the occasion I'd packed only the essentials. My BPRD uniform and of coarse for my role as advocate; tight ripped up jeans, a old tight back t shit, studded belt, and kick ass boots.

That of coarse wasn't the fun part... I was paired with Abe. Seeing as Abe couldn't go with Devon, I would go with him, Kate would run monitoring, and Devon got stuck with Johann.

"Now when you find these kids, let Zander go first." Kate informed as I stared over at Abe wishing he'd just look towards me once. "She'll play communicator. If anyone can influence the kid it'll be her." Corrigan didn't exactly seem happy about that.

"Right, I won't let you down." I said in some attempt at reassurance. Kate said nothing but walked the other way. "Right..."

I walked with Abe over to the Humvee. He jumped in and slammed the door loudly behind him. 'This is going to be pleasant.' I thought bitterly.

Getting in, he gave me just enough time to close the door before gunning it away.

Silence. Oh God its painful, awkward... just plain unnerving. I had to say something... right?

After fifteen minutes I finally manged something out.

"Abe... I wanted to tell you..." I started slowly. "I just don't like talking about it..."

He slammed his hand on the steering wheel. "And you think its easy for me to talk about my past!" he yelled. "Huh? You think I've ever opened up to someone like that before?" he laughed darkly. "Last time that happens..."

Why the hell'd I open my mouth. Had to say something... fuck.

"Look I... what happened... it wasn't me." I tried. "Shit happened on that mission, the vampire we'd been after did something to me. It screwed with my head. Hellboy saved my ass...but," I slowed and looked down at the floor. "when I woke up... Agent Philip Marx had been in my room, he woke me. I... snapped." My throat felt dry. "I killed him, Abe..." I slammed my fist into my leg. "I fucking killed him..."

Abe finally looked over at me briefly.

"He had a wife..." I managed harshly "a wife and three little kids... and I... I took their father from them."

Shaking my head slowly I continued. "the other guy- hell I don't even know his damn name, he was just trying to save Marx. That's why I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to think of me as a monster... But when you told me about Ben and all he'd done and been through- you stood by him." I looked over at him again. "I wanted to tell you... I never wanted you to find out like that though."

"I'd never have guessed." he said lowly. "You always act so- so damn immature half the time." he turned towards me. "Its all a front isn't it?"

I didn't answer... and so the silence reclaimed the car.

Abe said nothing more for the remainder of the trip. We stopped at a few points of interest and radioed back the nothing we'd found. Even after I'd spilled everything for Abe, he still seemed reluctant to trust or talk to me. I had to admit it hurt but hell I guess it had hurt him. I didn't want to admit it but I deserved the silent treatment.

It was dark before I knew it, though I could still see on the horizon the burning of the giant freakin volcano. Vaguely I wondered about the super volcano, so many knew as Yellowstone, and its proximity to the BPRD headquarters. If it erupted... that I didn't want to think about.

Abe pulled into the last local of the night. "Let me go in, I'll check it out." I offered but he shook his head.

"That won't be necessary-" From with in a startled gasp caught our attention along with some clattering of wood.

We exchanged glances as Abe unholstered his gun and moved towards the building; me following in suit. Lucky me I didn't have my gun on me; Kate thought it was best... after the incident on the plane. Plus I was supposed to make the kids trust us.

"Let me go first." I whispered. He ignored me and pushed the door open.

Moving quick he entered the building, gun raised. "Oh God NO!" a male voice yelled.


	9. Diamond Eyes

**damn these take forever to get out. I'm sorry I'm so behind! But enjoy. And if you aint reading the Hell on Earth series... OH MY GOD GET ON THE WAGON ITS KICK ASS! **

* * *

I should explain how we ended up here in Texas, land of sudden volcanoes and wandering teens, shouldn't I?

Well here you go-

"This is a changing world... and man is an adaptable animal." the short chubby UN lackey with glasses explained, standing in front of the monitors as Abe, Kate, Johann, Devon and I sat listening.

I wasn't listening much, I got the gist of things from the pictures playing behind him. A group of dejected young people where sitting in a freight train car. Kids today figured why study to become scientists, lawyers, or politicians when the whole world was going to hell around them. That was something I could relate to.

"What the hell is this? A sociology class?" Abe questioned sarcasticly from beside me.

The UN man looked tiredly at him, from what you could see of his face in the darkened room. "No, Agent Sapien." he grumbled out. "They're all following... her." A picture of a girl appeared on the screen. "She's become some sort of legend among these Bedouins." She had long dyed pink hair, piercings, and a dark hoodie... my kind of kid.

"She appears to have some sort of second sight." the UN guy continued.

Devon spoke up next to Kate. "Cute, for a legend." he said. "Do we know her name?"

"Yes. These are found written all around Texas." a picture showing, FENIX SAW THIS COMING, popped up. "and are they all misspelled?" Devon grunted.

I snorted. "Really? You're concerned about the spelling..." Beside me Abe smirked approvingly.

"Yes, apparently she spells it with a f and no o." the UN guy said, paying my sarcasm no mind.

Movement caught my attention as Dr O'Donnell walked in hands clasped together, wide eyed and staring at the images on the screen.

"Ah, Professor O'Donnell. What can we help you with?" The UN guy asked. When he said nothing the man cocked his head curiously. "Professor?"

O'Donnell pointed an accusing finger at him. "**You **don't know what's going on in Texas." he shot.

"Umm, actually I do. That's what I've been-"

He turned to us hands raised. "Its all happened before." he said eyes even wider. "And now it's happening **again**." At this my curiosity was indeed peaked. I'd heard many stories over the years about monsters and ghastly beings from the after days of the golden city.

"Hyperborea, that really happened. You know that. Back before the secrets of the universe were secret. They knew **everything**."

I knew about that, my Father told me about them that night in Ireland. _'...Our people are from Hyperborea...' _I remembered his voice so clear. _'...followers of Hecca-Emen-Ra...' _

O'Donnell's voice cut through his. "It didn't last..." he said lowly. "The knowledge, and all that power- so much, and they thought paradise couldn't crumble away- would never- but it **did**. You know that story. You've heard it already. But you haven't heard them all."

Tell me about it. I thought bitterly.

"The **Ogdru Hem, **they were imprisoned, some of them here on earth. Some of their brethren, their spirits, were trapped without any form at all. Without the Hyperboreans to keep them away, those **ghost creatures **started to break through-"

My brow creased with thought. That's exactly like what Ben had said...

"They didn't try to hide. They found new homes in the beasts of the earth. The Hyperboreans were powerful. I **said **that. And some priests survived the fall, remained to send the Ogdru Hem away again... because they knew what was coming."

The human race was coming. I thought. And then of coarse there was the 'vampires' that survived as well, who would eventually harvest those humans for nourishment. The filthy blood suckers which I shared a blood line with...

"New homes for the phantoms to hide in, better homes for the resurrections of the progeny of the **Ogdru-Jahd**. That's what the next race of men could be. A young race still weak, like children. And like children, curious, and clever, and **malleable**. Who would shape them? A new world, a world without watchers,"

Watchers. Yeah like they ever did any good. Dear old dad, one of the leaders of a band of 200. Now considered no more then mere Demons. Sick twisted beings that deserved to be punished, burned in hell for all they've done.

"Are you Ok?" Abe's whispered voice said through my dark thoughts. I snapped too. "Wha—yeah, just spaced out."

He gave me a small half smiled before returning to the Professors speech.

"Who would raise these children to take control? And control of **what**? The priests strong I **said ** that. They weren't going to live forever, thought. They were fading. There were **some **things, and they knew this, **some **things that could be around for as long as there was a world. Like the mysterious Vril energy."

I'd heard about that, studied it back with Edward Grey. Then of coarse there was Herr Hitler's obsession with leaning it, learning to control it, to use it to turn the tide of that war. The Thule Society... the inner sanctum known only as the 'Vril Society'.

'And knowledge, too. And ideas, they can be taught. **Thought **can live in any mind. There are things that couldn't be taught thought. Not to a mind, or to a pair of hands. But there were **tools**. There are **always **tools. Tools that could make any man every inch the warrior that was needed. No, I said that wrong. That isn't right. Not any man. Only a very few... and that's the story you didn't know."

Part of me had to wonder where this man got all if information from. How could one man, a human man at that, learn all of this? Where did it come from.

"Part of it. Part of the story. The new priests, the shamans, they lived their nomadic mission, not doings as you say, not avoiding evil. Because when enough of the Ogdru Hem returned, they would call back the Ogdru Jahad. The shamans couldn't run from that." he raised up his hands again as if toy emphasize the point. "You say you know but you don't. You don't. You **don't know**. Before I told you how they're leaking back into the world. Not big, not loud like before, not **loud **like the California monster, but quiet. Thieves slipping into the house of man so we don't see them, and who knows how many? **They **see it! The Nomads, the new shamans, the wanderers, the guardians. But you **won't ** see it. You see the things **anybody **can see, but its bigger than that, it's—its- a watershed moment, but you **won't **see.

"A tipping point..." Abe muttered beside me.

The UN man looked tiredly over at Kate as if O'Donnell was talking about nothing but nonsense. "Dr. Corrigan..." he said. Then as Kate lead the Professor away he started back up. "We have an idea as to where Fenix might be, and have notified local law enforcement that we're coming, but I imagine you may have some questions, so lets hear them."

Johann pipped up but I sighed and tuned him out. He didn't understand how it was to be on the run, to be running from disaster, out on the streets living off what ever the universe gave you.

But that was that and of coarse you all know what happened after this. The plane ride disaster about my past. So fast forward to now...

A dirty blonde haired man ran out knocking me back, Devon ran out of no where and tried to pick me up, falling in the process, then this huge half albino bat headed thing bust out of the locker room, Abe firing rapidly as it did so.

I pulled out my gun, as did the police officer and few BPRD guys who had followed us here. We all began firing up a storm, but it was only when Abe shot the thing through the head did it fall.

"Shit!" I swore loudly. "Where in the name of God did that thing come from?"

Abe turned and actually looked at me before smirked and hooking a thumb to the left, where I noticed Devon was huddled on the ground.

"You can get up now, Agent Devon, troubles over." I snorted trying to suppress laughter.

Abe waved me towards the locker room. "It came out of the floor," he explained. "In a matter of seconds, there it was."

"We should send a team down there, yes?" Johann said from behind me. "The tunnel might lead to a nest."

Shaking his head Abe stood up. "Call it in, this teams already got its mission."

I followed him back outside where two burly agents had the dirty blonde guy held. "Finally caught up to this one, damn he's fast."

"She was right... the kid was actually right..." he muttered.

Abe walked closer. "Who was right?"

The man told us of the girl we were looking for, she'd refused to stay here and he'd told them about an old abandoned public pool to stay the night at. And that was that. The two agents loaded the guy up with us and we headed for it, not wanting to waste anytime.

"These things are a lot tougher then I'd thought." I said once Abe and I where alone in the car.

He nodded as he pulled out and followed the leading Humvee. "I hadn't expected them to be so tough."

Silence. God do I hate silence.

"Abe," I started. "I'm really sorry I didn't tell you-"

He cut across me. "Its alright, I understand-"

"No, no, it was stupid. And, now apologizing isn't easy for me, not used to having to do it; not being around people much. But you were open with me, about everything," I said empathizing everything. "you didn't deserve to find it out that way."

He smiled slightly at me. "I forgive you..." he said softly. "Ok, I maybe, I shouldn't have blown up like that..."

"Hell I deserved that much." I flipped on the radio, Diamond Eyes by Shinedown came though. "Now here's a good song!"

Abe shook his head as we approached the old swimming pool. "Sad thing is... I kind of like it."

_I'm on the front line, don't worry I'll be fine_

_The story is just beginning_

_I say goodbye to my weakness_

_So long to Regrets..._

We parked and god out of the jeep just as the ground started shaking terribly. "Shit, more of those mothers!" Agent Garrett yelled behind up. Abe grabbed a automatic shotgun and I oped for the M-16. We ran full out towards the madness. Punk kids scrambled everywhere screaming and yelling.

Abe fired, we all did, hitting those giant bat headed creatures with everything we had. Blood splattered everywhere, dripping down the edges of the old pool. The smell was screwing with my senses.

'We got this wrapped up." Abe said lowering his gun. "Go round up these 'Bedouins' we need to talk to them-** All **of them."

Groups of agents split up and ran off after various kids. "I mean it, everyone. Move out see who you can find."

I motioned to a group of guys. "Come on, your with me." I ordered. "Remember tell them their not under arrest!" I yelled out before running towards the jeeps, where a group of three punks had run.

"Come on! Hold the fuck up!" I yelled picking up the pace, three guys hurrying after me. I moved in on the slowest one and knocked his legs out from under him. "Stay down." I commanded my eyes flickering red. I made a move on the other two when a series of gun shots ran out.

I jerked my head back to where I'd come from, where the shots had come from and terror gripped my heart. "ABE!" I screamed, taking off running flat out.

I pushed past a group of agents and my hands flew to my mouth. Laying in a pool of blood was Abe. Gunshots in his chest arm and neck it look like. "ABE! No, no, no, no, please God no!" I rambled out running to his body. There was still life in him, I could feel it. Everything was a blur, I felt sick. Some where a chopper landed and paramedics lifted Abe into.

There I cornered Devon. "You." I said darkly. "You where there. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!" I yelled in his face.

"I don't know." he said face straight, like he didn't give a damn. "He was just like that when-"

"Who shot him, Devon..." I asked my eyes blood red. "Who did it..."

He looked at me straight still. "I don't know." he said. "I didn't see-"

I pushed past him furiously. "Shut up you son of a bitch..."

"I'll call Kate and—-" I rounded back, pulling out my phone. "No. **I'll **call, Kate." I hissed.

Dialing her number quickly and waited as the line connected. "Hello?"

"Kate..." my voice trembled and almost broke. So much for staying strong, huh?

"Zander? Did you find-"

I shook my head. "Kate, Abe's..." my lips trembled as I watched the paramedics bandage his chest. "Abe's been shot..."

"SHIT! What!" she yelled in concern. "Why wasn't he wearing his vest?"

"He was. If he wasn't he'd probably be dead by now. He's still alive... but no ones telling me anything. It looks like he was shot in the neck... in the mouth maybe.. God I don't know." I was trembling now.

She breathed heavily into the receiver. "Who did it..."

I looked to Devon. "We don't know." I hissed, clenching my fist.

We landed a fifteen minutes later and Abe was hurried into the hospital, leaving me alone with Devon.

"I know, you don't like him." I hissed. "But I **know ** you saw something."

He shook his head. "I didn't-"

"Do you ever stop to think, he has people who care about him!" I yelled. "Huh? You act like he's- like he's..."

"The antichrist." he finished for me. "But it fits! If you studied history-"

I cut him off. "I studied history, Devon. Hell **lived **it! Do you even **know **how old I am! I know about the 'Antichrist'. And you know something, it's not Abe. Abe is a good person. Like Hellboy. He was choices and he'll make the right ones, I trust in that."

"It's like with Daimio, he didn't even know he was a monster-"

I snapped. "Don't you fucking talk about Ben!" I screamed knocking over a small table filled with surgical tools. "You don't understand! You will never understand what it feels like to have something inside of you that you can't control. Ben's a good person, he lost control it happens to the best of us, so shut your face before I make you shut it," I threatened. "Permanently."

"You never even met him!" Devon retorted.

"Sometimes you don't have too."

I turned to walk into the hospital but he had to say one last thing.

"Why are you so ready to trust him." he asked.

Not bothering to look back I answered, "Because my Brother would."

* * *

**I seriously had a panic attack when I read this. I just stared at the page for about an hour. And now we have to wait three months until we find out what happens! GOTT So I may not update this for a while, though there may be one as a filler. COMMENTS PLEASE!**


	10. Hell Came to Earth

**Hey Hey Lovelies! This is a filler chapter. Maybe I'll throw in Nash on a mission in a next one. But in the mean time ENJOY and Review! **

None of us where allowed to see Abe after the accident, at least until they got him into a stable-er condition. I was torn up inside, I felt I was loosing him. The only one I'd come to trust... my connection to the past I was so unwilling to let go.

But besides from being sad, I was furious. I **was **going to find out who did this, and maybe kick Devon's ass in the process. God that man was daft. So who did that leave for me to talk with? Johann? After the incident on the plane? I think I'd rather pass.

But there was Kate. Mistrustful of me as she was I had to give her a chance.

I knocked lightly on Corrigan's office door. "Come in." her voice said from the other end.

Opening the door slowly I poked my head through before fully entering. "Can we talk?" I asked quietly.

She looked taken aback but nodded and gestured to the chair across from her.

"I don't know what to do..." I tried. "I know Devon must know something, he was **right **there."

She sighed. "I don't know whats wrong with him. But maybe he really **doesn't ** know anything-"

"He has to. I just wish I wouldn't have left him alone." I confessed. "Maybe if I'd been there I could have been the one who'd been shot and not him."

Kate looked at me baffled. "Zander-"

"I know, I know. You don't trust me, and I get that. After what happened in 72', I wouldn't trust me either. And I know you don't understand why I'm suddenly so protective of Abe." I sighed. "I miss how things used to be. When I left, it tore me apart. The Bureau was my life, and me and HB were a team. He had my back and I had his, no matter what. When I got here I was afraid no one would have remembered him, everyone would be to new. But Abe..." my mind flashed across his shot up bleeding body. "He misses it to, I- I don't know I guess I just see him as a connection to all of that. But listening to everything he's been through. Hell. No one deserves to have to go through all that."

Kate examined me for a minute. "I can understand that. And look, its not that- its nothing against you. I've studied folklore all my life and there's never been anything to indicate that vampires-"

"That vampires can be anything other then mindless killing machines right? Yeah, but it's like I told Abe; He was angry about 'being an advanced form of the things we've been fighting for sixteen years.' It's not about what we're supposed to be. I'm supposed to be a mindless killing machine... and well I'm not. I try not to be. But I mean its always going to be there, and if it wasn't for my mother's blood in my veins I probably wouldn't have even that control." I sighed. "Would you trust Ben if he came back?"

She looked at me intently a few seconds before answering. "Yes. Yes I would." she looked down. "I guess that makes me a hypocrite, right?"

"Not at all. I get it, I really do."

She looked up. "You really do care about Abe don't you?"

"As much as I do my brother."

Nodding she asked, "You and Hellboy where really close, huh?"

"Oh yeah, I knew him since before he could talk. I remember he love noodles, and then one of the army guys made him eat pancakes." I laughed. "Never stopped lovin 'em since."

Kate actually laughed. "Nope, never did." she agreed. "You know, I was the last one to see him before he quit. He told me he was going to Africa." She looked past me as if she could see it replying before her. "Then... where ever the wind blows." she clapped her hands together. "And I said 'good for him'."

"It is. That's what he was supposed to do. Everything happens for a reason." I looked away. "I just don't understand why this had to happen to Abe." I said lowly, running my fingers through my hair. "What if he's not alright? I mean, what if he's paralyzed, or can't speak anymore," I thought out load. "Wha—What if he just... doesn't make it?"

Kate looked sadly back at me. "Let's just pray everything turns out, Ok." she said. "For now... it's all we can do."

A knock make me turn before Devon entered the room. I shot up, my fists instinctively curling into fists.

"Kate, I wanted to talk to you about-" I cut across him by pushing him out of my way.

"I'll talk to you late, Kate." I said before closing the door swiftly behind me.

One good thing was I don't think Kate mistrusts me as much, which is good. I'd like to be her friend.

A bad thing? Suddenly every time I looked at Devon I had an overwhelming urge to punch him, smack him, kick him... rip his throat...

I stopped dead in the hall. These feelings were getting out of control. If I didn't keep myself in check then I just might end up moving to British Columbia and living out the rest of my days as a survivalist with Ben. God, that was the last thing I needed right now was to snap and kill another agent... even one as pathetic and worthless as Devon.

_'But its been so long since you've had a good meal. Let's face it, blood packs and raw steaks can only get you so far. And imagine how powerful you would be with human blood to nourish your tissues. Sate your hunger. Abe would thank you for it...' _

"Shut up, shut up, shut UP!" I groaned, pounding my fist against me head. An Agents walking by hurried past looking worried. Great.

"Nyaida? Are you alright?" A familiar German voice came. Really great.

"Wha- Johann, I'm fine." I lied. "Headaches'all." he nodded.

"It is a terrible thing that happened to Abraham... If you wanted to talk-"

I hurried past him. "I'll remember that, I uh, I'm feeling a little nauseous I'm going to have a lye down..." Yeah, I'll hit you up on that in 1000 years. Man there was something up around here. Devon knows something about what happened and Johann... well hell only knows what he's got hiding behind that mask he wears.

When I got to my room I felt even more alone then usual. The one and only person I could be really open with is now lying, half dead and unconscious in a hospital bed. Where is Hellboy when you need him.

A hole suddenly opened in my chest, like a sick cavern had replaced my stomach and my heart sank into it.

"HB... where the hell are you?" I mumbled. "If you ever plan to come back... now is the time. Please I need you here." I sighed shakily. "I can't believe everything I missed. I should have at least come back when you lost the Professor... I could have at least done that much." I punched my leg. "God Damn it..."

Kate looked down at the paper on her desk and reread the same paragraph over a few times before pushing it away and sighing. Maybe I had been wrong about, Zander. She thought. Looking over at the clock she groaned lowly. I can understand how she feels... Hell, I am a hypocrite. Hellboy supposed to be a demon isn't he... and I would trust him no matter what the circumstances. Then there was Abe. Jesus...what's going on these days. Finally we win the frog war and for a day everything seemed that maybe it could get better... then Hell comes to earth.

**So there ya have it. Kate's starting to trust Nyaida, and Johann's being creepy. If you read the comics you know what's up with him. And if you don't I suggest you do! But if your low on funds as I am NASH has a solution. Download this thing called. "ComicRack." Free and easy, look it up on google. Ok, now google seach what ever BPRD issue you want, say BPRD Hell on Earth New World 1 CBR and look for a download on a site like, rapidshare, ineedfile, hotfile, or megaupload (theres a few others to) And Viola! You just open it on the newly downloaded ComicRack and you got yur self the new issue. THANKS4READING *Throws cookiez at computer screen***


	11. Seattle

**Hello and welcome to the newest edition to the Abominations story line. This go's off of the BPRD Hell on Earth Seattle comic. Now for those of you that haven't read it, 99.999% of you; its the comic that was handed out at the Emerald city Comicon. Me being Hellboy obsessed and what not just had to get this off Ebay. Nothing BIG happens it just chronicles a mission in Seattle. And we learn a bit about Carla Giarocco. (Which is revealed in this Chapter) so if you want to wait and are going to get the comic, you don't have to read this. The comic will be collecting the Hell on Earth New World TPB. Sooo see you at the end...**

Days past slow and after a long week I found myself wandering the corridors at night, thirsty for a soda.

_Or blood..._

I shook my head as I rounded into the break room. Even though this is a constantly moving government facility, its 3 A.M. and I hadn't expected to see anyone siting in there.

"Hey Zander," Carla Giarocco greeted smiling slightly. "Up late."

I waved slightly. "Hey Carla. Yeah, can't sleep." Pulling open the fridge; two coke, a Dr. Pepper, and bottles of water, I opted for the Dr. Pepper at this late hour.

Taking a seat across from her I popped the top and took a long sip.

"I'm sorry about Agent Sapien..." she offered. "You two were really close."

I nodded weakly. "Yeah, well when I used to work here, Hellboy and I were close. To me, he's my brother and... well I left, and coming back to the Bureau I was afraid no one would remember him and I'd be with a bunch of... new kids, I guess." I tried to sum everything up. "But when I met Abe, we just sort of clicked, which is weird for me..."

Wow I really have hit a low point. Here I am, 3 in the morning, spilling my story to Carla Giarocco.

"I don't know... but right now I just wish HB would come back; Abe would..." I looked towards the door, almost as if trying to wish he'd walk through the door alright and it would have all been a dream. "Wake up, and be alright." I sighed.

Carla gave me a look of sympathy. "I kind of know how you feel." she said. "I'm sure Abe'll pull through." she said. "He's tough."

"Yeah." I said absent absentmindedly. "I know..."

Carla and I talked a bit more about past missions we'd been on. Turns out she didn't like the crap Devon was spewing either. But after I'd finished my soda I headed back to my room and curled into bed and went none to easily to a dreamless sleep.

I woke to the ever popular sound of someone pounding on my door. "Zander!" Kate called. "Nyaida!"

Jumping up I hurried and pulled open the door. "Kate, what is it? Is Abe up?" I said quickly hoping for the best... no cigar.

She shook her head slowly. "No, no we have a situation. Seattle, it's all over the monitors, the news. Huge monster." We both hurried to the monitor room and my breath caught in my throat as I caught sight of the screens.

The creature was huge, looming over the city of Seattle. Spider like in appearance it was hideous.

"We have to get down there now." I stated... obviously.

Kate nodded, the U.N guy said nothing, just stared at the screens in evident horror. You know the U.N could have been a bit more selective when picking a guy to be stationed with us.

"Zander, get Carla G, tell her we're leaving for Seattle in 30." Kate ordered, I nodded and hurried out of the room to where Carla's room was.

I hope Devon doesn't get stuck with me on this.

When I reached Carla's room I knocked loudly; there was shuffling from inside before the door was pulled ajar and Agent Giarocco stood rubbing her eyes. "Agent Zander?"

"Hey Carla, we gotta go." I said quickly. "Big monster tearing up Seattle."

She nodded in understanding. "I'll meet you in the hanger."

"Right. Everyone's leaving in 30."

I set off hurried to my room and changed into my own uniform, once changed I hurried to the hanger where the chopper awaited to take us to the local airport.

"We got everything?" I asked. "Guns, big guns, even bigger guns cause this ain't going to be easy."

A tall muscular man nodded. "Yes mam, everything is secure."

Mam... that's a new one. Not sure I liked it. "Yeah Ok..." Just then Carla jogged in.

"Christ, did you see the size of this thing?" she asked eyes wide.

I nodded. "Yeah, definitely going to be fun."

Kate came over, U.N man in tow. "This isn't gong to be easy." she repeated. "Tom just called in people are in a panic."

"We'll take care of it." I assured her. "Some heavy fire power will take care of everything."

"Tom said we'll have all we need. Fighter Jets are being dispatched as we speak and there'll be plenty of fire power waiting when you arrive."

A group of uniformed men entered the hanger. "Right you all, on the chopper we can't waste anytime."

The ride over to the airport was uneventful, standard. Everyone talked amongst themselves about how this mission would go and I couldn't help but wonder... out of all the people with me on this chopper... who would be coming home? Dim thoughts I know but when you've had as long as I have to think about the wonders of death, not to mention see it happen to may of your closest friends and relatives... well as they say, "Shit happens."

The plane ride over was equally as boring, some turbulence but over all everyone kept amongst their groups. Now I really missed Hellboy. I missed all the antics we used to do. Like the time we where on a plane to Columbia and he'd hidden me in one of the over head compartments so that when this noob agent, we both didn't like, opened it he'd get the heart attack of a century as I lept out and tackled him.

I laughed out loud and didn't notice Carla come and sit by me.

"Good memories?" she asked smiling slightly.

I smiled. "Yeah, remembering the time when Hellboy'd put me in the overhead."

She cocked her head and raised and eyebrow but laughed none the same. "You don't have to sit over here all alone you know." she informed.

"I'm used to it. Back when it was just me and all human agents... well they didn't like me very much." I told her. "Didn't like the idea of a vampire serving with them. One of the things they'd have to fight."

"We'll I promise no one's going to not like you over that now." she said. "Come on, I'll introduce you to the guys."

I was hesitant; me and new people don't mix well but I agreed and stood up to follow Carla to the back of the plane.

"Guys this is Agent Nash Zander." she said. I looked around and the three people.

One was a muscular tall black man with jet black buzz cut hair and bright brown eyes, the other was shorter and slightly pudgy with a round face and short blonde hair, and lastly was a typical looking young guy with soulful eyes and mousy brown hair.

"Your our team commander on this mission, right." the blonde guy said. It didn't really sound like a question.

"Yeah, that's me." I said feeling slightly uncomfortable. I was terrible at introductions.

"Be nice." Carla warned. "That's Eric," she said pointing to the blonde guy. "And he's John and he's Derick."

"Your a vampire right?" Derick said his bright eyes examining me.

I nodded. "Yeah, well half..." I trailed off. Yeah I'm definitely not new people friendly. This was unbearably awkward.

"That's cool." he said simply.

For the remainder of the ride we talked. I learned that Eric was poker champion amongst the group. John was a former FBI agent who was recently transferred in during the hiring boom. And Derick was transferred from the Marines shortly after Ben had started as Field Commander.

"You think we have any chance against this thing?" John asked.

I thought. Well of coarse we did, we had no choice but to have a chance. It's not like we could just let it run ram pit though the city.

"I think we do..." I said simply.

"Touch down in 5. Lock and load." a voice over the speaker system told us.

Seeing as the city was in dire need we weren't landing at the airport, but a landing strip just outside the city. There we'd move in and take this think head on.

"Fire those damn rockets!" I screamed over the roar of the beast and the rumble of the fighter jets over head. We were fucked. Here we were parked on the top of a barely standing building, rockets firing, and guns booming.

The towering creature was set on us moving closer and closer. We had two options, kill this thing before it reaches us... or we die. Simple right? Damn.

I hoisted up the launcher and fired. The first shot hit right above the eye, making it roar in anger. Crap. It was closer now, damn it. "Come on!" I shouted in anger, this was not going to be the end of me... or my team.

I fired again, the force jolting my whole body. This time the rocket went shot into the monsters gaping maw, that combined with the missiles from over head and the hawk SAMS from my team. It wavered, blood splattering from it, dripping down, painting the ground in crimson rain.

Another shot, in the eye. "Fire those turrets in its face!" I ordered to my men manning the heavy guns. "Aim for the eyes!"

They did as I told and fired dead into the eyes. Blood and a white pus like substance leaked from the busted orbs, but its legs gave out beneath it, wavering it fell... hard. Crushing smaller buildings behind it.

Silence... only the sound of deep breathing and the jets over head.

"Whoo hoo!" someone behind me yelled. "Yeah! We did it!"

I laughed and fired another rocket into the monsters face. "Yes... yes we did." Damn that was close.

A half an hour later, we'd gotten down from the building and most of the team was back at the plane loading up and celebrating this 'win'. They were going back, we had to wait for the 'clean up squad' to pick us up. Giarocco and I that was.

"That's what I said..." Carla said from beside me; on the phone with Kate. "We're just waiting for the clean up crew..."

She was silent as Kate said something, and I sat down wringing my hands.

"I should get off, gotta conserve battery on this thing." she flipped her satellite phone down and turned to me, but a voice behind us made us both look.

"Did we win?" a male voice said. A tall brown haired man walked towards us; his gear revealing he was with the Seattle police.

"I don't think that he's getting up anytime soon." I said, hooking a thumb at the dead beast. "I made sure of that."

Carla stood up next to me and they talked a bit, I spaced out staring at the monster. Was this really how life was going to be now? Back in the day it was vampires, werewolves, ghosts, oh my. The simple things, maybe a banshee terrorizing a farm or small town but... giant metropolis destroying monsters. Damn that's just... damn. Hellboy, we really could use a hand here... a big red stone hand. I laughed slightly and looked to the sky seeing the band of choppers headed our way.

"Looks like our rides here." I said smirking lightly as I turned back to face Carla.

She picked up her gun and walked towards me.

"All this... makes you wanna go out and get drunk doesn't it?" the man laughed slightly.

I smirked. "You know it." I joked.

"No." Carla said from beside me a smirk playing on her own lips. "It makes me want to go home and hug my three year old son."

**That made me smile. REVIEWS PLEASE!**


	12. Old Memories and New Days

**Howdy all. Here be the latest chapter that holds the first time NASH met Hellboy, a mission and some Human bigot-ness. **

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Old Memories and New Days

"Trev, Carol Anne said you wanted to see-" I stopped in front of my old friends desk. Trevor Bruttenholm, the founder of our new organization; the B.P.R.D, sat smiling lightly. In his hands was a blanket that contained a small red child; tiny horns where prominent upon its forehead and a tail hung down lazily as it munched on a Baby Ruth candy bar.

"My dear, have a seat wont you?" he said motioning to the seat across from him.

I set myself down and examined the child. "Where did you get him, Trevor?" I asked curiously.

He adjusted the child slightly before replying. "Do you remember when I was in East Bromwich?"

"The thing with the Nazi's right? Lady Cynthia had feeling about some old cathedral there." I nodded slightly at the memory.

Trevor explained in fantastic detail that only he seemed to be capable of. The child had appeared in a ball of fire, scaring even the most experienced soldiers out of their wits. Though it didn't surprise me that Trevor had kept his cool, for a human he showed such courage and strength in the face of the supernatural. Some of the soldiers there had wanted to destroy the boy, but Trevor decided to have him brought back to base. He was in the middle of filling the whole report as we spoke.

"Somewhere up north off of Scottish coast?" I repeated. "That's my peoples territory. Lots of ley lines intersect up there... mystical stuff..." I frowned, cocking my head looking at the child. "You say the Nazi's did this?"

"Certainly." he said briskly with confidence. "I myself, am not certain why but we do know for certain it was them behind this."

I nodded and smiled slightly. "He's kind of cute, you know?" I laughed. "Can't see him as being to much of a danger." as I said this the child moved and I got a closer look at his right hand. "Whoa! Kid's packing quite the punch."

"Yes... I have some theories about that. You and I shall talk it over soon, but for now I must finish this report." he said. "You wouldn't mind hold him for a bit would you, Nyaida?"

I hesitated, children and me weren't exactly... well we didn't go together. I had spent little to no time among them and it was an all over uncomfortable experience. "Not at all, Trev."

Taking the child from him I noted a considerable weight for something having been born only a week or so ago. I leaned in and looked at the file title. "The Hellboy Incident." I read aloud.

"Yes, perhaps not the best name for the child but one that's stuck none the less." he said not looking up from his typewriter.

"Hellboy..." I murmured, looking down at the child in my arms. "I like it."

Six years Later:

"What mission were you on? Did you fight big monsters? What kind? Was it Fun? Did you get a big gun?"

"Hellboy," I laughed. "Calm down! It was only a nasty Draugr. Wasn't _that _big. Eh, could have been funner, and yes..." I leaned in smirking. "I got a really. Big. Gun."

His eyes got big. "Damn..." I laughed, Hellboy was only six years old and already taller then me and talking like an adult.

"Don't let the Professor catch you talking like that."

He rolled his eyes slightly. "When do you think I'll be able to go on a real mission?" he asked.

"When ever Trevor thinks your ready I guess." I answered. "Don't worry though, at the rate your going it can't be too much longer..."

Two Years Later:

"God damn monster!" I yelled as the werewolf knocked me back into the hard trunk of a near by tree. As it go's we where in Hungary on a werewolf track n grab. We had split up. Hellboy on his own, a group of human guys on their own, and me. Now naturally the bloody beast went for the Vampire first.

I fired three rounds into before I lept at me. Diving to the side I skidded in the soft mud before firing a few more shots.

"Nash!" HB's voice cam over the communicator. "What's going on?"

I hit the button and responded as best I could as I tried to avoid the creatures latest attack.

"I found it!" I shot. "Get your big red butt over here!"

"I'm comin..." he grunted out and I could tell he was running.

The beast was circling me now, in the pale moon light that slipped through the overhang over the trees, aided by my ability to see fairly better in the night I could make out just how ugly the things was.

An elongated snout protruded, drool dripping out from between its sets of razor sharp teeth. Its body was long and almost spindly, though fairly well muscled. The skin covering it wasn't covered all by hair and stood out a pale grey, wispy light hair covered some around its head and back. It's hands where long and ended in knife like claws; covered in drying blood, and its eyes shown a hungry sick yellow.

"Come on big fella..." I said my English accent thick. "Big bad monster like you can do better then-."

It launched at me, jaws gnashing, aimed at my throat. I caught it by its neck, instinct taking over. I clenched tight, crushing it windpipe as it howled in pain and rage. Then one of its claws whipped around and slicked through my chest. I released the beast, now myself howling in pain.

Blood dripped from my wounds, black in the lack of light. Before I could get my bearings a red flash came out of the thick of trees and body checked the werewolf.

"Son of a-" my friends deep voice growled, as he brought down his large stone hand right down into the monsters face. The crunch of bones was unmistakable. The beast whimpered, but still managed to knock Hellboy back.

The human guys were coming in now, closer, as Hellboy delivered an perfect uppercut straight to the things jaw.

I took aim, and fired; a sliver bullet right through the side of it's head. The werewolf fell, skull blown apart, in a pool of blood and brain matter.

Hellboy eyed the mess then walked over towards me. "Nasty thing..." he noticed my chest. "You alright, Nash?"

I shrugged. "I've had worse believe me." But I had to admit I was bleeding fairly good and the pain was numbing.

He looked down at me skeptically. "Come'on." he said leading me towards the group of men. "Lets get back home."

12 hours later: Plane back to America.

Hellboy was in the back talking with Agent Faulkner about the difference in the types of werewolves. I was laying back in my seat, breathing deep; the ache in my chest making it difficult. I was a fast healer, faster then a human for sure, but the first day was always the worst in the pain department.

"What happened out there?" a male voice said from beside me, and I could feel a body move into the chair next to mine. I could tell from the voice he was mocking. "I thought you were the monster fighter extraordinaire. But you had to have Big Red come and save the day, eh?"

I snapped my eyes open and glared. Agent Costner, man I couldn't stand this guy.

"I was handling it fine... it's called team work look it up jack."

He pointed to my chest. "Whaddya call that?" he leaned closer. "Look toots, why don't you go push some paperwork somewhere and leave the monsters to the big guys, huh-" I slammed the guy right in the face.

"Why don't you get bent!" I shot.

When Costner stood back up off the floor his nose was crooked and bleeding badly. Damn, that's not going to look good on my record. Prick had it coming...

Hellboy hurried over looking over the scene. "What the hell?" he grumbled. Costner pointed a shaky finger at me while clenching the other over his shattered nose.

"I'll tell you what! The vampires out of control!" he whined.

Hellboy looked over but knew better, I wouldn't hurt anyone with out provocation. "Uh-huh, and what did you do?" he said.

Costner looked up at him. "Doesn't matter what I did! That monster should be locked up!" Now everyone was watching the story unfold.

Hellboy leaned down real close. "I suggest you don't call my sister a monster..." he growled. "Unless you wanna be free falling without a parachute into the shark infested ocean..."

The man was quivering now, but backed away to his friend, muttering lowly, blood dripping from between his fingers.

Hellboy took a seat next to me. "Dumbass." he mummbled. "How's your chest."

"Cut and bleeding," I answered. "Hurts like and SOB." I smirked.

"That guy had it coming?" he hooked a thumb behind him.

I frowned. "Costner's never liked me... can't say I ever held him in high esteem myself. Jerk said I should leave the monster fighting to you guys..."

Hellboy made the 'O' face. "Yeah he had it coming..." he laughed darkly.

Fifty-Eight years later:

I woke up in my bed, sheets thrown off, staring at the dark cement ceiling. I breathed out deeply and ran my hand over my chest absentmindedly. I thought about the four deep scars that ran across it.

Sitting up I held my hand in my head feeling a wave of nausea wash over me. Standing up I shuttered at the feeling of the cold cement under my bare feet as I staggered over to the small bathroom.

Flipping on the light I caught sight of my self in the mirror. Pale, short red hair sticking up in odd places, dark eyes, purple tired circles under them. I looked gaunt and sick.

I hadn't had a full night sleep in a week; since that night in Texas, I'm haunted by the resounding bangs of the guns, the blood, and the face of that sixteen year old girl... staring at me.

Walking over to the sink I turned on the cold tap and threw some over my face. No more sleep tonight.

I peered behind me to my digital clock. 3:47 a.m. Sighing I turned off the water and dressed in a pair of black pants and a over sized dark t-shirt, before heading out to find the break room.

When I arrived there was no one else within. Which was good I wasn't in the mood to converse with anyone anyway. I pulled open the freezer and retrieved a few froze cinnamon Eggo waffles, popped them in the crappy toaster and waited, making myself a cup of coffee as I did.

"Guten Morgen, Nyaida." a smooth German accented voice said from behind me.

I turned. "Oh hi, Johann." Great can this morning get any better? I mused. Oh if only Devon would walk in. I mentally shuddered, I was likely to jump him if he did. To early for any of his crap.

"Your up early..." I said lowly.

"Ah, I have very little physical form and therefore do not require sleep." he said.

I raised my eyebrow. "Interesting..." I turned back to my newly popped up waffles.

"I heard what happened in Seattle, it was all over the monitors." he said. Man this guy didn't know how to take a hint that I didn't want to talk.

"Oh yeah that was a fun trip." I said pouring syrupy goodness over my burnt Eggos.

Johann sat down at the table and watched me. Well at least I think he was... not sure with him. I did know however that he was making me very uneasy.

After I'd drowned the Eggos I sat down across from him and began eating, taking a sip of coffee between every other bit.

"I miss it." he said abruptly. I stopped and looked up at him.

"Pardon?" I frowned.

He seemed to sigh. "Eating, being able to smell the aromas... being able to feel things." Ok this was getting weird fast.

"Yeah... um, I can imagine." I offered. I really had no idea the appropriate thing to say at that given moment.

"Abraham no undoubtedly told you what had occurred..." he continued.

I shoved a bunch of waffle I my mouth, and mumbled something incoherently. This was not where I wanted to be this early in the morning. Man I'd kill for a distraction, hell I'd kill to have Devon walk in right now, that would be a valid excuse for me to take my leave.

"Ah but you probably don't want to listen to me moan over my loss," he continued. Again leaving me at a loss for word. What do I say here? Uh you got that right, I don't wanna sit here and listen to you ramble on about your lost body and how you want to feel things again? Ugh not the best response in my arsenal. So I settled for something that can be considered a look of sympathy and a shrug as I shoved more waffle in my mouth.

At that moment an unknown agent entered the room. "Ah Guten Morgen, Sydney." Johann greeted.

The man that had entered wore a tired expression under glasses and a baseball cap bearing the BPRD logo, fit over messy short blonde hair.

"Morning Agent Kraus," he stopped. "Hey not sure I've seen you before."

I swallowed my mouthful. "Oh, um, Nyaida Zander," I said quickly, I hated saying my name. "Um, just Nash'll do though." I added.

He smiled. "Right, I'm Sydney Leach, Human Medal Detector." he shook my hand and walked over to coffee pot. "Were you there in Seattle?" he asked.

"Yeah, crazy stuff I'll tell you." I groaned. "Back when I first worked here the worst we had to worry about was crazy villains with half hearted schemes to take over the world, zombies, werewolves, vampires, witches..." I rolled my eyes. "But jeez, monsters as big as mountains, _that's _a new one."

"Nyaida," Johann said. I cringed, will this man ever just call me Nash? I hate my name.

"Yeah?" I replied, preparing myself to shove more food in my mouth.

He laid both his hand on the table, folding them together. "After you first quite the Bureau, what is it you did?" he wondered.

I thought a moment. Nothing much honestly. I didn't set out and become some fantastic vigilant.

"Well, I traveled a lot. During missions we never really got to sight see... I toured around Europe, hiked mostly. Got to see Dracula's castle." I laughed. "Thought it would have been more... impressive then it was." I sighed. "Anyway... I didn't do a lot of monster fighting that's for sure. Though the Beast of Dartmoor did give me a run for my money. That is one big Hell hound."

Sidney can and sat down with us. "Wow... really? That's fascinating." I had to smile at his enthusiasm. It paid to have that here, kept you sane. "Yeah, then there of coarse was werewolves and such the more I got towards Romania and such, some in France too. Werewolves just love me."

"So I suppose the old myth is true about Vampires and Werewolves being on bad terms." Johann replied.

I shrugged. "I guess it's genetic." I finished the last of my waffles, and stood to throw the paper plate away. "On another note," I said dusting myself off and stretching slightly. "What floor was the gym on? I should get a little working out done for today."

"Level B," Leach answered. "Two levels down."

I smiled at him. "Thanks," I walked towards the doors. "See you around."

I made a pit stop at my room and grabbed a little gadget of mine I don't think I could live without. My iPod. Music was a must when working out.

After I had that I switched over into some sweatpants and a tank top, then jogged my way down to the gym.

It wasn't hard tom find, the place took up all most the whole level. Weight lifting area, sparing area, track, treadmills, a pool with a big sauna on the far end.

I decided on a run to start things off and hit the track. Eminem's Lose Yourself playing loudly in my head phones.

Around the time I hit lap twenty I slowed and took a quick seat, slowing my breathing. A few other people had come in now and I watched them for a few moments. People watching was a hobby of mine.

I took up weights next, lifting a 50 pound barbell, each arm for fifteen minutes each. My vampire side gave me an advantage when it came to strength. Vampire or Demon side... I shook my head. Now I could really understand why Hellboy hated hearing about his origin, that stuff could drive you crazy.

Nothing much in the line of eventful happened after that. The day drug on after I left the gym (around 8:00 in the morning) The one thing I hated about getting up so early was you could get things done... then be left with nothing to do but sit around and feel the crush of boredom. Kate was to busy with the U.N man to talk. Johann scared me. Carla and the gang were off on separate missions that didn't call for any 'enhanced talent'.

I laid on my bed and let my mind drift to Abe, what I wouldn't give to talk to him right now. Pass the time, he was so easy to open up to for me, why? Flipping my iPod on shuffle Diamond Eyes came on and my mind was drawn back to Texas. He'd actually liked this song. A sad pained smile forced its way onto my lips. Come on you can't cry about this? What happened 50 years away and you've gone soft. Jesus come on.

I turned it off and sighed. Ode to the days of my life.

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**Johann's weird these days... hm. **

** Anywho if you like it review it... if you hate it... aww come on review it pwwweeeaasse? *throws cookies at computer***


	13. Going Through Hell

**Hey there Read-a-reno's its meh again. XP**

**Ok I've been turning out stories fast lately yeah, so this one is basically about NASH's marriage to Edward. (y'all should know him right?) Maybe maybe not well you will after this. **

**Also some bad things happen in NASH's past. SEE YA AT THE END!**

Going through Hell.

I'd been wandering so long, alone; on the streets feeding of what I could to stay alive. Though most of the time I wished I would die.

I needed a way out, or a new beginning. That new beginning found me in a dodgy old pub late one night.

His name was Edward Sundborne. A middle aged man, a good height, slightly rounded with a thick mustache that grew into sideburns. His suit was pressed and clean showing a rather wealthy status.

He'd come in one night while he was visiting an acquaintance down the street. A rather bad part of town, that should have been a heads up as to what kind of man he was and what kind of business he was in. but I digress.

I'm not sure why he decided to by me a drink. Not sure why he even wanted to talk to me but he did. Maybe he knew some how what I was. That was the sort of thing he was involved in. The Occult. Dark practices. No doubt he'd know a Vampire when he saw one.

Now that I think about it maybe it was the eyes that gave it away, red that night they might have been. I couldn't be sure, living on the street you have no vanity to look into.

We talked over the whiskey and he offered me a place to stay out of the dismal rain that fell that night. Of coarse I was more then eager at the idea of having an actual place to stay for the night. Mostly I found my self wandering, barely sleeping at all now adays. I agreed.

He took me to his lavishly furnished London home. Five bedrooms, three stories, complete with maids and servants that over saw the premises.

"I must thank you kindly for this, Mr. Sundborne." I gushed. "This is so generous of you. Taking a poor woman in off the street."

He smiled and held out his arms. "Think nothing of it, my lady." he said. "You may stay here as long as you wish. You are my guest here."

… and so I did. I stayed as long as I dared and soon months had gone by and Edward began courting me. Flowers, candies, new dresses. It was everything I could have hoped for in the time as a new beginning. In a little over a years time we were married. The wedding was everything a Victorian lady could have wished and more. As they say now adays it was a fairytale. But of coarse as most fairytales go it turned into a nightmare. I had told me what I was but he said he had always known, and in the months following that fateful day I began to see why he'd chosen me. I was, in fact, his Vampire Trophy wife. He'd bring me to parties and gathering and of coarse all his friends would be fascinated by me. Asking all matters of questions, and as a proper Victorian Lady I was to look beautiful, smile, and be supportive of my husband, answering the questions with a smooth dignified voice. I was to be delicate and quite and never speak my mind, unless it was asked of me that is. Those day's where the worst of my life

He was a member of a prominent Oannes Society. They where having a mummy unwrapping ceremony one evening and of coarse that's where we had to be seen. In this time it was all about being seen in the right places surrounded by the right people. It was November, I can remember that, I was staring out into the hazy dim light that hung around Big Ben. The wind blew, blowing my dress around me and riffling the flowers around the balcony upon which was perched.

I wished it would just end and I could go back home. Well, if that cage could be called a home. I was never let out unless it was for one of these stupid things so in that respect I guess I should count my blessings.

"Nyaida, Darling," my husbands voice called from behind me. "Could you come here a moment?"

That was know question. I had no choice he might as well have just said, 'Hey get your ass over here now or I'll beat your ass when I drag you back home." … sad as it was that was to the point.

I turned. "Yes Darling." I chimed. Sighing and hiding my distaste I turned and glided over to where he was surrounded by a group of me. Show time.

"Ah yes, this is my lovely wife, Nyaida Morana Lee Zander." he said by way of introduction. Don't ask me why but in those times it was traditional to be introduced using your full name. "Nyaida, this is Langdon Everett Caul."

He took my hand and kissed it gently. "A pleasure to meet you." I smiled and bowed my head while doing a slight curtsey.

"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Caul." I said not missing a beat.

The other man, I'd met before smiled. I hated him. Philip Ensner, bastard if there ever was one.

"She's a vampire hybrid." he informed. "A very rare find indeed, wouldn't you say?"

Langdon nodded. "Why yes, but surely there is more to her then just that simple trait." he eyed me and I glanced away; the ceremony had begun. The time to take my leave as the men all gathered round. Now I wasn't squeamish at all but the unwrapping of a thousand year old mummy was not one of my various tastes. I slid through the crowd back to my balcony perch.

I breathed out into the semi clear air. I remembered when it was still sweet and unpolluted by industry, such a shame. The corset I was wearing was bound to tight and I thanked God I didn't require much air in my lungs to function, though after this prolonged constriction it was beginning to get harder.

From with in there was gasps and near screams. "It's alive!" one shouted. "She's awake!"

Curiosity getting the best of me I turned. The mummy had been... alive? Hmm that was a new one. Though not nearly interesting enough to make me leave my darkening balcony. The body was moved through the crowd and quickly taken to another room, my husband and a few of his friends going with it.

I turned back to the railing and hung my head letting my long red hair fall over my face.

"Long day?" a familiar voice said from behind me. It was Caul.

Lifting my head up I turned. "You can say that." I mumbled.

"It must get tiresome having them show you around like that." I noted coming to stand next to me.

"You have no idea..." I confessed.

He took my hand. "Don't worry I wont bombard you with questions." he smiled and it seemed sincere.

Langdon Everett Caul became a close friend of mine after that night. He seemed nice, never asked questions and he was someone I could open up to. That... that was unusual for me.

He was the reason I didn't detest going to gathering in a hope we could talk some more. He told me about his childhood and how his father had him sent away to work on trade ships in a hope that it would make him more of a man. He himself had enjoyed poetry, often writing it and was fascinated by biology.

I grew to trust him with myself... that was my own mistake.

"Langdon we shouldn't be here." I half laughed.

We'd fled away from a party and were standing in a small servant quarters bedroom. He shhh'ed me and came closer, trying to kiss me. I pushed him back.

"Langdon!" I hissed. "What's gotten into you? Your married!"

He moved back closer. "No one needs to know anything my dear." he reached around my waist and pulled me closer, I struggled against him. I was weak now. Years of living soft have made me the same, I was spineless anymore.

"No Langdon. This isn't funny stop!" I yelled. He pushed me back and moved his hands up my skirt, while laying his body against mine.

Now let me confess something to you. Despite being married, Edward and I had never consummated it so to speak. I was a trophy and prostitution was a big business. I didn't mind at all, at the time I had a place to live and food to eat; only I do need blood now and then or I become weak... like now.

He forced his lips against mine and I bite into his tongue as it tried to slip into my mouth. Jumping back in pain he turned and slapped me hard across the face.  
"Know your place..." he growled, pushing me roughly back.

I screamed. Now I'm not a screamer by any means but when I'm down and out well things happen. I could feel the hopelessness inside me feuding with my rage that was trying to bubble to the surface. The rage I've kept suppressed for so long.

_Loose yourself, let it out... _

_**No when I loose it I go psycho. **_ That's the term I've given to the state of mind I enter when my instinct takes over.

Now I could feel something hard pressing against me and my skirt was being hiked up.

_LOOSE IT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!_

"That's it my dear..." he moaned as he started to undo his pants.

My eyes narrowed, I was loosing my resolve. "I am not submissive." I growled, fangs elongating.

"What was that dear?" he half whispered and I felt something against my leg. Instinct took over and I went Psycho.

I kicked him back, knocking the wind out of him. "YOU SICK PIG!" I shouted. He was trembling now. "You think because your a man you can force me to submit...?" I challenged. I walked forward and put a foot on his stomach. "You pathetic bastard." I slammed my foot down. He yelled in pain and coughed violently. I reared back and kicked him again in the stomach. One. Two. Three.

He tried to stand so I grabbed him my his shirt and pulled him up, my body on auto pilot.

"You can't kill me..." he stuttered out, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. "They'll know it was you."

This was sadly true. And I couldn't tell anyone he'd tried to rape me due to the fact women had no stake in this time. "I'm not going to kill you..." I hissed. "But I can make you wish you'd never been born."

"You will still be arrested..."

I cut him off. "And you'll tell them what? Hmmm, You wouldn't risk your social status would you, Caul?" I mused darkly. "No you wouldn't." I threw him down and slammed my foot down on his hand, breaking it. "I'm sorry I ever trusted you..."

With my final words said I spit in his face and made my leave back to the party. In the months that followed he stayed more and more away from home and I was able to leave the house, meeting Sir Edward Grey during that time.

After February in 1865 he left and never returned home. What became of him... who can say? I can. I hope he rots in Hell.

The estate was left to some French man I didn't know and I was forced out. Sir Grey was kind enough to give me a place after that and I helped him on many investigations, though never being public as he was. That wasn't the life for me. But the 1900's brought new adventures and even better beginnings.

Though an acquaintance of Sir Grey I got into the British Paranormal Society, along with my new friend, Trevor Bruttenholm. Seven years later and he founded the B.P.R.D. the place I can truly call home.

Do I miss the 1800's? No, honestly if I have to wear another dress I'll puke. Do I regret anything? Not really. Everything happens for a reason they say, and it all worked out the way it was ment to. Who could have said what would have happened to me had I never met that wealthy bastard in that pub.

Then I might not be where I am today. Anyway, as they say, "If your going through Hell... keep going."

**I wasn't sure I was going to go through with the idea of Langdon trying to force himself upon her like that but decided why not XP gotta take chances and it leaves the air open for some major drama and crap... seeing as I hope Abe's okie smokie. *sob* REVIEWS!**


	14. Helena

Helena

I sat next to Abe's body. He was all bandaged up; over his mouth, his neck, chest and arms. His eyes were closed and the heart monitor beeped lightly behind me. I silently thanked God for that fact.

"Abe?" I whispered, trying to keep my voice even. "Hey, it- it's Nash." I reached out and brushed my hand against his. Ice cold. Well seeing as I feel near the same I guess I can't be one to make a bias comment on that, but no one alive should feel that cold.

"It's been... boring with out you here." I started. "Kate's at least talking to me, I think she's starting to trust me." I sighed. "Which is good. I'd like to be her friend. But... its dull with out you." I picked up his hand and traced my fingers along the lines that crossed his palm. His life line.

"I like the feeling of your skin..." I half laughed but the smile quickly faded. "There's that randomness again." I looked away from him.

"You were right; that day in the car. I guess I do act immature... but it is all a front. It's just... with all the things I've seen. I guess I've evolved over time—a long time, too long. You know people who think living forever is a gift—its a curse. Having to watch the people you hold dear pass away and grow old knowing that will never happen to you. At best I'll die a horrible pain filled death, there is no going peacefully in my sleep. I guess that is one reason I never got close to many people—I was afraid of losing them in the end." I looked back up at him and brushed my hand over the side of his face that wasn't covered in gauze.

"I can't lose you." I confessed. "You can't leave me like this. You never deserved any of this and I promise I won't let you go." I vowed. "I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut. My weakness is... that I care to much. And these scars remind me, that the past is real. I tear my heart open just to feel.." I whispered offering a little tune to go along with my lyric quote. Sighing, I seemed to be doing that a lot, I laid my head on the pillow next to his and closed my eyes.

XHXHXHXHXHXHX

Kate Corrigan signed off a filed report and turned off the office light. Her ass hurt from sitting in that damn chair for to long and her back ached. She'd kill for a coffee right about now. The medical staff had announced we could visit with Abe now, not that it would be much of a visit seeing as he was still in a coma. But still it would be nice to see him at least.

She headed down the deserted corridor, brightly lit from the florescent lights that hung over head. She entered the medical wing and stopped outside Abe's room. Peering in she noticed Zander sitting bedside his bed, she brushed her fingers against his limp hand and drew back.

"Kate's at least talking to me, I think she's starting to trust me." she sighed. "Which is good. I'd like to be her friend. But... its dull with out you."

Kate looked away, taking in what she had said and she suddenly felt very hypocritical. All she had wanted was a friend... and I stereotyped her as a monster.

Looking back up she saw the vampire now tracing the lines across his palm.

"I like the feeling of your skin..." she half laughed but the smile quickly faded. "There's that randomness again." she muttered barely audible to Kate's ears.

"You were right; that day in the car. I guess I do act immature... but it is all a front. It's just... with all the things I've seen. I guess I've evolved over time—a long time, too long. You know people who think living forever is a gift—its a curse. Having to watch the people you hold dear pass away and grow old knowing that will never happen to you. At best I'll die a horrible pain filled death, there is no going peacefully in my sleep. I guess that is one reason I never got close to many people—I was afraid of losing them in the end." She looked back up at him and brushed her hand over the side of his face that wasn't covered in bandages.

"I can't lose you." she confessed, voice wavering. "You can't leave me like this. You never deserved any of this and I promise I won't let you go." she swore and Kate saw the truth in that promise.. "I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut. My weakness is... that I care to much. And these scars remind me, that the past is real. I tear my heart open just to feel.." she muttered with a slight tune. Must be from a song, Kate reasoned as she watched the young looking girl lay her head down next to Abe's, eyes closed still clutching his hand.

Kate hesitated, then decided to leave and come back later. It wasn't her place to walk in now.

XHXHXHXHXHXHX

I was surrounded by darkness, only it wasn't normal darkness. It was an eerie darkness that had a odd red tinge to it. An apocalyptic darkness, my mind whispered.

A familiar face caught my attention. "Hellboy?" I muttered. "Hellboy!" I yelled running towards his figure. Only it wasn't exactly him. He was sitting hunched over on a tower of rock. His face shown with a defeated look. He turned his face to me and my breath stopped and my heart hammered against my ribs with a painful force. His left eye socket was empty and a tickle of blood escaped it.

"He is not strong enough." a whisper of a voice came, layered with mystery, yet an otherworldly sound. "You, the link between the two. Heaven and Hell made flesh."

I grunted. "Depends on who you ask." I muttered.

"Abomination." the voice hissed. "Nyaida. The reluctant princess. Come from the blood of the demons and angels. But what side will you chose?" the voice mused.

"He is not strong enough. You have the power, unleash it. Do what he can not. Unleash the demon." a darker voice insisted.

"Or can you change it?" another chimed in. "You can change it. The one from the sea. Son of Dagon bleeds now. The assassination attempt as been made. But can you change him? Can you save him from the evil that seeks to claim his heart?"

My head was spinning with this. "Who are you people?" I demanded. "Show yourselves." Out of the darkness behind my brother stepped five silhouettes, vaguely illuminated, but I could make out enough. One was obviously Hecate, the other a tall figure with a plain mask concealing his face, a shorter aged black man, looking to be some sort of witch doctor, the fourth I recognized as Dagda, and the fifth-

"Mum?" I whispered.

"My child I can not assist you in this journey. None of this I had ever wished for you." she moved closer and her elven beauty was radiant. She looked serene, at peace. Unlike the last time I'd seen her.

"Sir Grey is right. You can change the story, it is up to you how the end will come about. That is your part in this play."

I frowned. "Sir. Grey?" I looked towards the masked figure. "Edward? Is that you?"

The figure stepped forward. "Ms. Nyaida, I hoped we would meet again, though not under these circumstances."

I looked around. "So is this a dream?" I questioned.

"Not a dream." the black man said in a thick accent. "forgive me, I believe we've never met. My name is Mohlomi."

The name rang a bell in my memory. "You _are_ a witch doctor." I confirmed my earlier suspicion. "I thought I heard you died over two hundred years ago?"

He bowed his head. "It doesn't seem that long."

"Time flies when you when you don't die." I mused, a thin smile appeared on his lips. I turned to the shadowy figure I thought to be Hecate. She moved into the 'light', where ever the source was it remained unknown to me. She was clothed in a long blue robe, the hood pulled over her head and her face seemed to be made of stone; blue eyes glowed from their sockets as a smirk crossed her hard lips.

"Hellboy is mine. _We _are the agents of change. To that end we are bound together."

I eyed her. "Wonder what he thinks of that." I mused sarcastically. I hated when people talked about my brother, tying him in with prophecy and destiny. Me. I choose to believe we _all _have a choice.

She stepped closer, hood removed. Snakes slithered and moved hypnotically around her face, reminding me slightly of Medusa.

"The storm is upon us. In the shadows the creatures sharpen spears for war." she hissed. My mother behind her eyed her with an almost angered look; I knew Hecate spoke about the elven people joining with the Queen of Blood. "The people he cares for—the people_ you _care for, are doomed for slow torture. Agonizing death. A billion voices screaming for an end... and that will go on and on... until he says enough."

I gazed unblinking into her cold lifeless glowing eyes. "I won't let that happen..." I half whispered.

She turned her head slightly, watching my with curiosity. "The gods... the forgotten spirits speak highly of you... and yet? You chose this life. A life among beings that have forgotten the old ways. Shunned the old way... destroyed the earth that your own mothers people fought to protect."

"That is enough, Hecate." my mother warned an edge to her voice I'd never heard before.

"... and you protect them?" she continued. "Why?"

I gazed away. "Because it's the right thing to do." I murmured, though the thought crossed my mind. Why? The humans were corrupt, filled with so much hatred, anger, sloth, lust, gluttony, greed... they were destroying the earth, they, in all truth, are the worst thing to happen in this world. Why protect them?

Hecate moved back. "You don't believe that... do you?" she questioned lowly. My mother shot her a dark glare.

"My child, you alone can decide where this world is headed. What you should chose is up to you."

I looked back at my old friend Edward. "Grey? What would you do?" I asked.

He seemed to think. "You know me, Nyaida. I was a man of God. I would have always stood by the right and fought to protect his creation. No matter how flawed they seemed. It is the ultimate evil that we must stand against." he told me. "The armies and mercenaries of Hell."

I took in his words then looked back at him. "Why is it you didn't pass on to Heaven, then?" Our eyes locked and he moved back into the shadows leaving the question unanswered.

"I met Hellboy, a few years back..." Mohlomi said. "I know the good in him. But sometimes even the strongest of us have to have a little help." with that he moved back into the shadows, leaving my mother still close to me.

"I know it was Armaros who killed you." I told her. "I saw it when I went to the tomb."

She examined me. "So now you know exactly who your father his."

"Not my father." I corrected. "I killed him, well I hacked his arm off."

"He still lives. A mortal wound like that won't be the end of Armaros." she explained a look of sorrow on her porcelain features. "You will have to fight him again, not tomorrow but the time is coming soon enough."

I sighed and a weird feeling rose in my chest some where between anger and reluctance. Sure, I wanted that man dead, if he could even be called a man, but I wasn't exactly looking forward to this battle. Something about the whole thing gave me a sense of intense foreboding.

"Will I see you again?" I asked.

She smiled down at me. "Of coarse. I'll always be here... when you need me." My eyes wandered over the others in the group and the cold smirk on Hecate's lips sent chills down my spin.

My eyes shot open; the harsh bright lighting in the room made me close them promptly again. Was all that really real? I squinted through the blinding light as my sight returned slowly to normal and I noticed I was still in the room with Abe... well his body.

I sighed. "Man do I wish I could talk to you right now." I groaned. "I just had the weirdest dream... well it wasn't a dream, it couldn't have been... but man..." I shook my head.

XAXAXAXAXAXAX

Everything was black, but I had no feeling, my body was numb, I found myself unable to move.

"Hello?" I asked into the blackness. "Where am I? What happened?"

I felt a smooth touch on my hand. "Hey, it- it's Nash." a accent tinted voice said softy.

"Nash!" I called. "Where are you? What's going on?" A flash of memories came to me.

The girl, we'd found the girl—or at least I did. She—she shot me. Didn't she? Yes, she did. So what does that mean for me? Am I dead. I can't be. "Nash! Can you hear me!" I yelled desperately trying to move anything, but nothing would.

"It's been... bored with out you here." she confessed. "Kate's at least talking to me, I think she's starting to trust me." I sighed. "Which is good. I'd like to be her friend. But... its dull with out you." I felt my hand being lifted and put into hers as she traced the lines on my palm. Just like the first night we'd met. "I like the feeling of your skin..." she half laughed but it quickly faded. "There's that randomness again."

I wanted to reach out to her. I fought to open my eyes to see her. Reach to touch her face and tell her I'm here... I can hear her. Run my fingers through her soft red hair. I mentally scolded my self, ironic, everything I've been doing as been in my mind so its redundant. But really? Is there any shame in thinking that now? I may very well die or never wake up.

My mind focused on her cold hand running across mine. I've never even kissed a woman...

"You were right; that day in the car. I guess I do act immature..." she started slowly. "But it is all a front. It's just... with all the things I've seen. I guess I've evolved over time—a long time, too long. You know people who think living forever is a gift—its a curse. Having to watch the people you hold dear pass away and grow old knowing that will never happen to you. At best I'll die a horrible pain filled death, there is no going peacefully in my sleep. I guess that is one reason I never got close to many people—I was afraid of losing them in the end." her hand left mine and I felt it a second later brush against my face. The want to open my eyes grew even larger in my chest.

"Nash, I'm here..." I half whispered. "You can't lose me..." Damn it, wake up! I mentally screamed.

"I can't lose you." she whispered "You can't leave me like this. You never deserved any of this and I promise I won't let you go." she vowed.

"I won't let go... I promise, Nash." I silently pledged. "I don't care what it takes I _will _find away to wake up. If only for you... I never ment to pull you into any of this."

"I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut. My weakness is... that I care to much. And these scars remind me, that the past is real. I tear my heart open just to feel.." she said closer to me, a slight tune in her voice told me it was a lyric from a song. A felt something near my head a soft brush against my temple made me think she laid her head next to mine. I'd never felt so helpless in my life. I let my self slip into the darkness.

"Man do I wish I could talk to you right now." a voice groaned, and I noticed the pressure by my head was gone, but I still recognized the voice to be Nash's. "I just had the weirdest dream... well it wasn't a dream, it couldn't have been... but man..."

"Nash? What happened?" I asked, knowing she couldn't hear me. I guessed she'd fallen asleep next to me.

"I saw my mother..." she started and then wove a tale worthy of any great story teller. She told be about the seeing her mother's death by the hands of her father and a group of Demons. She told me about the dream in which she'd seen her mother, Hecate, some witch doctor, and Sir Edward Grey; who I knew she'd known from the 1800's.

"She told me I had the power to change things." she explained to me. Her hand took mine. "If that's so fucking true why the hell can't I will you back..." she questioned with a slight anger tinted frustration to her English voice. "If I'm the god damn link to Heaven and Hell why the hell can't I wake you up?"

"Don't blame yourself for any of this please..." I whispered.

I could hear her sigh. "I don't know, maybe if I hadn't run off after those other punks... it could have been me laying here instead of you."

"No!" I shot. "Don't you god damn say that."

"I don't know, but I know Devon saw who did it..."

I frowned, well I mentally did. "It was that girl, Fenix. I'd gone after her," I remembered it completely now. "I put my gun down, I—I tried to make her feel like she wasn't in danger." I mumbled. "Then she—she shot me."

"I know he saw it." she said defiantly. "But that little punk says he doesn't know. I swear that guy is so close to getting the shit beat out of him. He doesn't even give a damn..." she groaned in defeat. "I have a weird feeling it was our P.O.I* though. That punk chick."

"Your good." I mused.

"I don't know but she better hope I'm not the one that catches up to her." she informed darkly. "I better go... I think the medical guys are getting ticked with me sitting her and falling asleep. Jerks. I'll see you tomorrow though." she said and I could sense her getting up. "Abe? If—if you can hear me... I want you to know, I'm not giving up on you." her hand squeezed mine and I fought to squeeze it back but failed.

"Son of a bitch!" I yelled. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" I tried frantically to move but to know avail. For all I knew they could have put me into a drug induced coma. I must have been shot up bad. What if I'm paralyzed? The thought made my heart race and I could tell not only by feeling but by the increased beating from some where to my right. I heard people walk in talking in hushed voices, probably wondering why my heart rate had picked up. Inwardly I sighed and let the darkness consume me again, hoping I'd be able to pull my self from it again.

**Soooo. My silkie chickens ** **I hope you enjoyed the newest installment of the ABOMINATIONS! **

**Abe can hear people. Nash is dreaming, or is she, about people. And Kate over heard Nash talking. **

**P.O.I Stands for Person Of Interest.**

**The title is from a My Chemical Romance song... but then, you knew that already, didn't you? **

**The song Nash quotes is Scars by Papa Roach.  
**

**Review! **

**PEACE X**


	15. Hymn for the Missing

_**Whoa! Been a long time! but I'm back baby! WHOO! Jeez guys sorry for the sudden collapse but between the 3 month pause between comics, I'm moving, and my internets been out yeah this has taken me awhile. **_

_**See you on the otherside! **_

* * *

Hymn for the Missing

I hadn't been able to sleep right since that dream I had. The little sleep I was able to achieve was dark, to my knowledge I hadn't dreamed anything but something made me feel like Nebuchadnezzar. With prophetic dream that he couldn't remember about a statue symbolizing the four great empires that would stand before the end of man. I frowned and shuttered at that thought. Was everything apocalyptic these days?

I looked around at the dreary contents of my room. My combat pants lay in a heap on the cement floor. My ruck sack open in the corner. My lap top and iPod sat on a BPRD issued desk. Sighing I stood up and walked into the conjoining bathroom.

They give me a toilet and a sink but make me walk down to the communal showers. Wow, who the hell designed this floor plan?

Once in I flipped on the faucet to hot, purposely avoiding the mirror. Maybe afraid of what I might see. My father? That would left a bad taste in my mouth and a sick feeling in my stomach.

I splashed the hot water over my face and relished the burn. Then my eyes finally connected with the mirror. My hair line was wet from the water and it dripped down my face leaving light red trails. Damn this water got hot.

Next I made my way down to the break room, hoping, no _praying _Johann wouldn't be there. Too my slim luck he wasn't. I pulled open the fridge and halfheartedly looked over the contents. Shutting the door I pulled open the freezer and repeated the process before settling for some warmed over coffee from the near empty coffee pot.

Settling down at the table I ran my fingers back through my hair and let out a sigh; the dream was playing back though my head and I figured now was as good a time as any.

There was Hellboy. His eye was missing and blood leaked from the empty socket. What could that mean? I couldn't think of any significant omens about a vision of someone missing and eye.

"This is to freaking weird..." I grumbled.

"Hey, man you look like you just got hit by a truck!" a deep voice said from the door way. I looked up quickly to see Derick smirking down at me.

I laughed dryly. "Yeah... feel like it too." I retorted. "Why're you up this late?"

"What are you my mom?" he laughed grabbing a coke from the fridge and taking a seat across from me. "I just got back from Phoenix."

I sighed tiredly. 'And just what the hell's going down in Phoenix?"

"Zombies!" he said with mock cheeriness. "A shit load'a em'. Two of our squad didn't make it."

I frowned and set my coffee down with a light clink. "Two dead? How? Zombies are usually fairly easy. Gun shot to the head, I mean their not known for being the brightest monsters in the shed..."

The young x-marine shook his head. "Not these bastards, they're faster then any zombie I've seen—."

"You ever been on a zombie case before?"

"Sure have, 2007 Louisiana; buncha those bastards in the swamps." he said. "But these nah, their fast and definitely stronger and smarter then your average undead crawler..." he gave me a look. "No offense..."

Laughing I waved him off. "None taken, about 99.99% of those undead bastards can kiss my ass. Never met one I liked yet." I sighed. "Where's Carla?"

"Giarocco? She got sent to Utah, not sure why..."

"Jesus what state doesn't have a monster problem anymore?" I questioned. "Worlds going to hell..."

Derick eyed me. "Tell me something vampy..." I raised my eyebrow. "Your older then you look right? You've been around the block before..."

"Couple hundred thousand times..." I smirked.

He leaned closer. "Tell me honestly. Do you think we have a chance or is this it. You know the apocalypse, a farce."

I knew I should have seen his question coming I mean who wasn't thinking that at this point. Definitely looked like the apocalypse at this point. "Honestly?" he nodded. "... I don't know." I admitted. "But even if it is the end, better to go out fighting then just letting the monsters take over. Hell maybe it is a farce, maybe we're not supposed to win."

"Maybe it's unwinnable..." he added in a hushed voice, more to himself then me.

I swirled my coffee in the stained off white mug. "We can't give up though, I know that—."

"Guten Morgen, Agents." Johann's voice cut across mine.

Derick spun in his seat to see the ectoplsmic man right behind him. "Damn it! You gotta learn to not sneak up on people!"

"I apologize Agent—?"

"Ford." Derick replied.

Johann inclined his head. "Yes, agent Ford. You are new here?"

Derick looked towards me a slightly irked expression on his dark skinned features. "No. I was transferred here 2005."

I stood up, cracking my back, and sent Derick a two fingered salute. "I'll catch you later man." I swayed slightly as I was hit with a wave of dizziness and vertigo.

"Where you going?" he questioned, eyebrow raised.

Steadying myself on the back of the chair, I held my palm over my forehead. A sudden pain erupted in my chest.

"Nash?" Derick was up and by my side, a look of concern on his handsome dark features.

My chest felt like it was burning, like my heart as in flames. An overwhelming sickness overtook me threatening to push forth the contents of my stomach. Then sadness; that's as close as I can describe it, like my soul had been pulled from me, my life suddenly had no purpose; I was helpless, I was spinning... I blacked out.

I didn't like blacking out, well who does? Oh you do, sorry. Anyway I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've blacked out, too many to be healthy and normal. That sounds right up my alley. There are many different black out experiences. Once I blacked out and was surrounded by a sea of endless white, another I was _in _a sea. I've seen swirling colours, moving galaxies; once even I could have sworn I saw some kind of weird space station thing orbiting what seemed to be a large crystallized cactus like structure, well at least that's as best as I can describe it. This time I found myself over a bloodied battle field; kind of like a Valkyrie, I thought.

In the distance was a tall broken down castle like structure, on the top floor there seemed to be a battle in progress. I took a quick look down at my hovering body, I was like a mist, see through and faded. Nope, still not healthy or normal.

I set off towards the fight and what I saw made my heart beat, my who body felt... jittery; suddenly my breathing was sporadic, if that was even possible in this form. There was a huge dragon; now I've had a few run its with these things in my time but none of them compared to this one. It was huge, towering, monstrous and covered in hard black scales. My attention was quickly drawn away from it however when a red speck caught my attention.

"Hellboy..." I chocked out. Emotions went through me; surprise, happiness, fear, confusion, and sadness. He was fighting that thing? What in Hell...

A bright light suddenly shocked me and I closed my eyes against it. I lashed out and hear a sudden yell and the sound of someone stumbling. I opened my eyes again and squinted against the bright lights of the medical bay. "Hellboy!" I looked around wildly at the people around me, two doctors, Derick and Kate. "Wha-Jesus what happened..." I groaned. Now I didn't know what to feel.

"Nash, sweetie you collapsed. Your heart stopped and you weren't breathing."

I noticed the paddles on the cart near me. "So you shocked my ass..."

"Well you where dead there for a few minutes." Derick said. "One minute you where fine and the next your where swaying and falling over."

"It's a good thing Derick got you here in time." a doctor said, older, balding with dark brown eyes and laugh lines. "A minute or so longer and it probably would have been to late."

I looked away from him and around the room, I was in the med area where Abe was, only Abe wasn't here anymore. "Abe..." I wondered aloud, I rounded on Kate. "Holy shit, did Abe wake up?"

She stared back at me and just that look told me the answer wasn't the one had hoped. I felt the stinging fear grip my heart, threatening to stop the once again beating organ.

"Kate... where is Abe..."

No. No. No. No. No. NO! This is not possible. This is not happening. Not to Abe. "They told us he was going to make a full recovery..." I muttered out, eyes eyes watering. "You told me he would make a full recovery!" I screamed accusingly at one of the scientists who looked away and refused to meet my eyes.

"He was." the U.N guy said from beside Kate, who was crying softly. "We don't understand it. This afternoon he just crashed. Shortly after you collapsed actually. They have managed to get his heart beating again and he's on life support but..."

"but what..." I hissed, my fists clenched.

He eyed me carefully. "But his E.E.G. is showing severe brain damage, I'm sorry. He is gone."

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**I cried. I really honestly did. I'm not sure if they would really kill him off completely, i'm hoping not. But anyways Reviews Por Favor! **


	16. A Russian Development of Zombie Sort

**HOLY SHIT! It's been a while hasn't it! Finally I am restarting the story and moving up with it! It's might take a bit because of my other on-going stories (I've been falling way behind on my slash) But I hope y'all like this chappy. I based it on Russia; also on Dark Horse Present's 8-Unmarked Grave. SEE YA AT THE END!**

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"Hey Zander..." It was Kate. I didn't look up from my now warm Dr. Pepper. She took a seat across from me. "How are you holding up?" she asked softly.

"Holding up. An apt phrase." I murmured still not meeting her eyes.

She shifted in her seat. "I know your taking this hard..."

"It should be me." I said finally gazing up. "I shouldn't have ran after those useless punks. I should have stayed with him."

I already had enough blood on my hands, and now his stained them. It was all my fault as I saw it. He was a link to my brother, who I all but turned by back on all those years ago and my past ... a past that I may never see again and now was gone.

"No one could have predicted that would happen. Abe is one of our most skilled field agents..."

I gazed coldly at her. "Was..."

"Stop beating yourself up, that won't do us any good. We need you more then ever." she retorted logically. "You don't think I don't miss him as much as you do? I knew him for almost 30 years. He was my friend..." her voice wavered and I suddenly felt bad, selfish for only thinking I was the one hurting.

"I'm sorry, Kate." I responded. "I'm being stupid, aren't I. You'd think I'd be used to people close to me dying... Abe was the first person I'd let myself become attached to since my brother." I swirled the liquid in my can. "Maybe I'm not ment to have friends."

Kate eyed me. "I wouldn't say that. Look I came her to see if you might like to come with Johann and me to Russia."

"Russia?" I questioned. "Is it going to be dangerous?"

She shrugged. "I wouldn't say so, its just a meeting."

"Meeting with Russians? … Yeah it's probably dangerous." I concurred. "If they're talking Occult it's usually never good."

"I get that feeling too. So are you interested?"

I shrugged and finished off my soda. "Why not. Get me away from here..."

"Alright." she clapped her hands together. "Anything else you want to talk about?"

I cocked my head to the side. "I don't think so."

"Well, if you need too, you know where to find me." she gave a weak smile and I returned it to the best of my ability.

A few day's later Kate, Johann, and I boarded the transatlantic flight to Russia with a stop over in Britain for quick refueling. The ride itself was pretty uneventful, mostly just looking over papers and from the gist of things it seemed like we were simply meeting with the Russian Occult Bureau. Nothing really eventful; gave me something else to think of anyway.

We landed at a privet airfield and were greeted by some typical Aryan looking blonde hulks who ushered us into a blacked out van to drive us to our destination.

The Bureau building wasn't anything like our own. While ours was very military and situated high in the Rocky Mountains, theirs was simply on the outer edge of the city built very much like a typical stately government building; almost like a museum.

The lobby was furnished in dark wood and a marble floor; the receptionist escorted the three of us to a conference room where three Russian officials sat.

I won't bore you with the details, they brought up our files that had been leaked through the internet via wikileaks, drone on a lot; Kate got agitated but we weren't there for long and this is where things get eventful anyway.

The next day we were heading out to a village, an hour or so out of the way that apparently was full of Zombies.

I'd had plenty of experience with the living dead... to much of you ask me. This was a good chance for some target practice.

Johann apparently was going to be part of another group that was doing their own thing; Kate wasn't to happy about that. Frankly, I was glad he wasn't on my team.

We all hopped out of the truck and I took the time to get my bearings. It sort of reminded me of the deserted towns me and Abe had seen up in B.C. This town however was more run down; broken windows, boarded up store fronts, everthing that pointed to a run of the mill zombie infestation; the towns folk were isolated and did the best they could to build their own 'safe houses' and wait out the storm until the zombies either went off in search of an easier food source or help showed up... apparently neither had happened.

"This place is a ghost town." I muttered to Kate.

Corrigan was sporting her own combat armor and toted an automatic along side me. "I don't like the look of it."

I frowned. "Do you hear that?" I asked. It was almost like the sound of running, like a mob of people all running; their feet pounding the ground.

"Hear what-?"

We both saw it at the same time; a wave of the undead, some brandishing knifes and swords all rushing at us.

Kate and I both shouted at the team behind us as we fired into the crowd. Now, I'm going to give you some undead 101; the undead cannot and will not die from simply a few bullet wounds in the chest. No, it doesn't even faze them. The only true way is a bullet in the head. Usually using a 'spray' techniques don't work because of the varying heights of the zombies that are attacking. These however seemed to be relatively the same in stature, at least enough that I could unload a clip across the field, head shot most of the and the others would be picked off by the rest of the team. Kate was holding her own I must admit, she was pretty good-no _very _good with a gun.

The Russian team behind was was also doing good, taking down those who didn't fall or those who did but still grasped at life; good to see they knew to double tap.

When the dust had settled I walked over among the pile of corpses trying to get a better picture on just why they were here. These hadn't been typical shower the shit zombies that walked around moaning and can't open doors. These where battle ready armed undead walkers. Something else was going on here.

"Not just faster. _TOO FAST!_". Kate shouted behind me. I turned to see her talking to Iosif; he was basically a dead guy in a containment suit... expect he had a body. I didn't like him, especially since right off the bat we were thrown out here.

"You think that only because you don't know the whole story- you haven't been familiarized with how urgent this situation is. However, if you don't stop and listen, I can't correct that."

Kate wheeled around and threw her AK on the ground. "Fine! I'm listening! Not like I could really go anywhere. You guys have all the trucks." She crossed her arms over her chest as I walked towards her and Iosif began speaking; "You've already heard that Commander Verlacz was sent below into the mine, and how he became possessed." I nodded slightly as he looked towards me. Honestly during the briefing I had been spacing out thinking of other things and hadn't been focusing at all. "Right." Kate concurred.

"What you don't know- what I didn't know until Johann's session with Verlacz last night—is that there's one of your giant creatures in that mine." he said. "And it's growing."

An Ogdru-hem? I frowned and turned to Kate who was focused on Iosif.

"'Johann's session'-? Verlacz is dead?" he narrowed her eyes slightly.

Iosif shook his head slightly and nodded. "He died weeks ago, if we're being honest with ourselves. The only spirit left in his body was a small piece of this giant beast's will." He turned and pointed in the direction of some wicked looking rocks, presumably where the mine was located. "Johann learned that when it's grown large enough to emerge, it will nest in _that _structure that the living dead are building." Guess the mine isn't over there... what the hell else have I missed?

"If we have any hope to kill it, _now's _the time."

Kate threw her arms out. "Kill it how?"

"That, specifically is what Johann didn't want you to know."

Both of us were focused on Iosif now. "What did Johann not want us to know?" I questioned.

"Johann will plant a tactical nuclear devise on the creatures body."

Kate and I both yelled; "WHAT?!" in unison.

"You can't be serious?!" I shouted.

Kate was near hysteric. "Johann's going to walk right unto the creature that can take over his soul with just a- a "Piece of its will," you said? _THAT'S INSANE!_"

"Doctor it doesn't work that way."

I crossed my arms and leaned back. "Please enlighten us, how exactly does it work, Iosif?"

"The creature can only alter a subjects _anatomy_, the anatomy of the brain. This changes the way the subject things, making it a willing host for possession. It really doesn't have the ability to alter the soul, only the body."

I shook my head slowly. "Good to know..."

"That's not true." Kate said. "Johann's been terrorized by these things in the past."

Iosif seemed to almost smile increasing my distrust of him. "Terrorized, yes, but never changed. Never polluted because he has no organs, no structures to alter. And now that he knows he has nothing to fear, he's our perfect assassin."

This was twisted, something else was going on with this and it was gnawing at my brain.

Kate looked back towards the peaks. "Wait. What about all the men that went down there with him? _They _have organs."

Iosif plainly smiled now and it was freaking me out. "Doctor, they're Russian soldiers. They expect to die."

I was oddly chilled by that statement, I mean, as a rule all my life I've expected to die; a lot of encounter I've been in have brought me closer to death then I'd have liked. But I didn't come back to the Bureau and 'expect to die' as if it was a given. No, me and everyone else; human or otherwise, fight because we want to make a difference, we _need _to make a difference, or there will be nothing left of this world. Grim thought, but true.

While I was thinking I watched the Russian men setting us, what looked to be a barricade of some sort; all had AK-47's drawn and looked to be ready for battle.

"Okay, so are you going to finish that story?" I said turning my attention back the walking dead man in the suit. "For instance, if Johann had to go down after that creature, why is everyone up here preparing for war?"

Iosif handed me an AK nonchalantly. "Here." I took the rifle and looked it over. "Because the battle won't only be down there." Kate walked nearer frowning while carrying her own rifle. "Johann doesn't believe that the creature will sit still for the attack. If Johann can get through the first line of defense, it will have to call in reinforcements- and _we're _here to cut them off."

I heard the sound of running feet, another horde in the distance, before anyone else. "What's that noise?" Kate questioned.

I lifted my gun. "More zombies."

The dust cloud in the distance picked up as a giant mod, way greater then the welcoming party we'd first encountered, grew nearer; pick axes and hammers at the ready.

Everyone came up to the barricade; some of the Russians even jumping over to meet the enemy head one... a foolish move. While they took some out they themselves where beaten and dismembered by another bunch.

"They just don't let up!" Kate hollered cutting a leaping one in half with a stream of bullets.

"I believe that is a good thing!" Iosif shouted.

I muttered, "Speak for yourself." as he continued. "The harder they fight up here, the easier it should be down there."

We continued to fight for what seemed like forever, the dead falling; and some of our own.

Out of no where a sonic crack filled the air and the grown shook. The peaks started breaking as the dead fell.

Iosif shouted in Russian to his men. "Hurry, Doctor. The radiation is peaking right now. We can't stay."

We all took off sprinting to the trucks. When we were all in the drives peeled off leaving the town in the distance.

"He _did _it, Doctor Corrigan! Your agent Kraus is a hero!" a man seated in the back with us shouted.

"Uh-huh. I guess so." she muttered.

Where's my freaking metal? I thought bitterly. Kraus doesn't do anything for the time I've been back and suddenly he sets off a nuke in Russian and gets a damn parade... I miss Hellboy.

My bitter thoughts were cut short when fighter jets flew over head; Kate and I nearly jumped out of the back of the van as they soared quickly overhead.

Suddenly the whole town was decimated by an atomic blast. "JOHANN!"

"What the hell are they _doing?!_ Johann's still _down_ there!" Kate screamed. A Russian woman tried to pull her back in the truck.

"Dr. Corrigan, Agent Kraus can't be physically _harmed_."

Kate was in overdrive. "His containment suit! Don't you understand? He needs to hold himself together."

"Doctor, the suit might have been damaged in the mission anyway." the man to her left tried.

"Right, but I didn't request to bring the spare because- that goddamned _Iosif_! He kept this whole thing quite. _He _didn't tell me that Johann was going to be a combatant."

"Director Nichayko was saying it was _Kraus _who kept secret."

Kate narrowed her eyes at the woman who'd spoke. "Why would I believe what he says? Weren't you all telling me he leaves you out of the loop all the time?"

"More reason to believe that Director Nichayko made a contingencyplan."

The man spoke this time, I didn't bother even saying anything. "And agent Kraus can temporarily inhabit any dead creature, isn't that so? There is no shortage of hosts for him to borrow at least until we make other arrangements."

"Those bodies are highly radioactive. We couldn't get near him. Or is he supposed to wait out here for the Bureau to ship another suit?"

I frowned as the truck slowed to a stop. "Hey, are we stopping?"

"Maybe. We should be a good fifteen miles away by now." the man said.

Kate jumped up and stormed out of the back. "GREAT! Now I can talk to your ESTEEMED DIRECTOR!" she shouted.

"Dr. Corrigan, it's not wise to approach in angry!"

I frowned, not wise? What the hell is up with that? "Oh for Christ's sake, Vasily. _Grow _a pair!" he spotted him in the ear by truck. "Ah, _there _you are! Who the hell do you think you are!? Maybe your troops expect to die, but you can't treat Johann like TOILET PAPER! I SWEAR, I'm going to-"

"Kate, please." Johann's German accented voice said. "You have to calm yourself. I'm fine. Everything is fine." Iosif walked around the back of the truck looking amused.

Kate looked like she just seen a ghost. "...Johann."

Johann was wearing the same suit as Iosif... now that was creepy. "What are you doing in that thing?" I asked.

"Again, it was Johann's wish that we not discuss this with either of you first."

I sneered at the Russian. "I wasn't talking to you!"

"It's the truth. I didn't want to go through the effort to convince you that I could do this mission-" Kate grabbed his arm and led him away. "Or the bureaucracy of the approval process to acquire and new containment suit. What is that expression? 'It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission.' Did I get that right?"

"But how can you be sure it's safe? We haven't examined the construction-"  
He cut her off. "This is what I mean. It's a containment suit, Kate. The principle is simple, really. How much more discussion does there need to be? I tried it earlier this morning. No leaks, an the valves in the fingertips work perfectly."

"You look so much like Iosif." Kate said with a look between distaste and sadness.

"It's rebuilt from one of his old units. And outfitted fr gaseous—as opposed to liquid—containment, of coarse."

Kate crossed her arms and didn't look pleased. "Okay, I guess it'll do until we can get you back into s B.P.R.D. suit."

1946

"No!" Johann all but shouted. "This model has shoulders. It has knees. I have knuckles now! I can actually _feel _myself in the joints of this machine. It's almost like a body. You just can't understand what a difference that makes to me. I won't go back to living in a bag!" He concluded forcefully, tuning and storming away.

We were finally done with the Russian Bureau after another day. Kate and I sat in the lobby of the Bureau waiting for our pick up and take us to a hotel. She was on Skype with her (Boyfriend?) she said his name was Bruno; seemed nice enough. I was twiddling around with my iPod; didn't want to listen to their whole conversation, felt awkward.

Suddenly she slammed down the lid looking startled and I pulled the buds from my ears.

"YI didn't mean to interrupt. Should I come back?" Iosif's voice came.

Kate hurriedly sat he laptop on the bench. "No, it's fine."

"Vasily tells me you're leaving us- for a hotel room?"

Kate spoke up. "Near the airport. We're waiting for clearance on a flight into Heathrow and want to be ready to go right away."

"Very troubling what's happened in the United Kingdom these last few weeks. I understand you have some very important reasons to go, however."

Hellboy. I thought coldly to the Russian without speaking.

"Of coarse you understand. You read it on wikileaks, right?"

He handed her a small red box with a USB input. "What's this?" Kate questioned.

"A decryption program." Iosif explained. "Last night, digitized copies of every classified special sciences file dating back to 1946 were uploaded to the B.P.R.D.'s protocol site. You won't be able to read those files without that program, so please don't lose it."

Kate stared. "Every file?"

"Every word that was written down, Doctor, yes." he nodded. "Have a safe trip." he began to walk away, then added, "And please send us your hotel bill."

Suddenly Kate's phone vibrated and she hurriedly unclicked it and answered. "Hello?" she said cordially, still eying the device. Her eyes widened as the person on the other line spoke; in interest was peaked. "He's _ALIVE? _You saying _ABE'S ALIVE?!_'" She jumped up and turned towards me with a huge smile.

My own face lit up and my heart rate sped so quick I felt light head and shaky.

"Oh my _God_!" That's _amazing! That's great!_"

A frown creased her brow and she sat back down. "What do you mean there's just one thing, what's wrong?"

And there go's the feeling of dread again.

The entire plane ride to Heathrow Kate called Bruno at least 4 times; not once did she get an answer.

Me? I was in my own little bubble of unknown emotions. We'd learned from the U.N. Guy what something had happened to Abe. Yes, he was alive... but changed; that was all he could say. All we knew.

On the other hand we were going to Britain. The place were Hellboy last was.

The dream I'd had while in the infirmary that night picked at my brain again.

Right now though we were in a chapel, speaking with an old priest who had known Hellboy.

"At the house of my old parish." he looked down. "It's gone now, but Hellboy was there. There with a very young woman, very young, very beautiful. Alice Monaghan."

"I met her." I said looking up from the ground. "Well I had a long time ago, when she was a child. But recently," I gestured to Kate. "You know about my stint here... long story but I got back to B.C. To find Abe and finish off the monster." Kate looked at me oddly, she didn't know the whole story but we didn't have time to explain. "When I was here I met her in a pub, she had the sword I now have back at the Bureau; Excalibur. She gave it to me, had said Hellboy had it and didn't want it." I shrugged. "There was a bunch of dead guys outside, 'the noble dead of Briatian', they started following me when I walked out. I lost them though."

Kate frowned. "So you _saw _Hellboy?"

I shook my head. "No, she said I just missed him. He was going after Nimue."

"Wait. Kate turned to the priest. "Hellboy rescued Alice in 1959. She wouldn't be very young today."

"Wouldn't she?" he said. Kate eyed him strangely.

I shrugged. "She did look pretty young to me... though honestly she has to be, what? 50 something?"

"They left when the storm was rising- I don't know where they went, but that storm... that storm! It was a clash of England's Noble Dead, risen to battle the evil that's coming for us all."

I stared outright. This was creepy. The priest turned to me, guess because I'd mentioned the sword and the dead. "The Noble dead, led by Arthur- I saw him in a vision that night. He came back to lead them."

Kate drew out a business card. "Yeah, well, that was some storm." he handed the card to him. "Listen, we have to go, but you can reach me at this number is you hear from Hellboy r if you remember anything else that might be... useful."

I bowed slightly. "Thank you for your time, Father."

As we walked out into the yard Kate tried calling Bruno again but a voice made us look up. "It's not the same." A very familiar voice.

"I'm sorry?" Kate said.

The voice was coming from a woman behind the gate sitting on a bench. "This chapel, it's not so grand as Father Bill's old church."

"Yeah, Father Bill. Took me a while to hunt him down, but we're looking for a friend."

We got closer and I knew who the woman was. "He was right about the army, you know? I saw them, the noble dead of England." she gestured to me. "She did too."

"It's good to see you again, Alice." I said.

Kate did a double take between me and her. "Alice?"

"And Hellboy might have led them. He was entitled. He discovered that he was a descendant of Arthur and he drew the sword out of the stone."

"Guess when I asked, "Who died and made you the King of England" it was really true all along." I mused remembering.

"He was king- or he could have been. He could have been." when she looked up tear came down her face. "But in the end he chose to face the enemy alone. He slew her... and she slew him."

Something inside me stopped. My knees felt weak ad my hands shook and tingled. "...what?" Kate near whispered.

"It's true. It is. I saw that too." she wiped at her eyes and I fell to kneel in the grass. Kate made to sit on the bench next to Alice. "I... I don't even know how you..." she stopped. "You're sure? You're really sure he's—" she couldn't finish it, I'm not sure I could have either.

"He died so England would survive." Alice said voice breaking.

Kate looked over at me but I wasn't sure if she really could see. She was lost in her own thought just as I was. "'Survive'? I don't know. It looks worse then most places to me." she said. "We came in though London. That's all gone. All over England millions of people are dead. Everybody else—thy're leaving." she looked down at her phone. "If that's surviving..."

"You keep looking at your phone." Alice noted.

Kate shook her head. "Sorry. I'm supposed to be meeting somebody. Listen, I'm used to strange thing—trust me- but King Arthur? I'm having trouble believing all this."

Because you don't want to believe he's gone, I know that feeling. I thought. Hell I hoped he'd jump out of the bushes and yell "Surprise!" any second now. But I knew it wasn't going to come.

"You're right. England is wounded. People are leaving. A lot of people. But others will be coming."

She reached out and caught Kate's hand. "You. You should stay. Both of you."

Kate and I both stared. "What are you talking about? Don't you know there's a whole world suffering? We're needed out there, not here." she said logically.

"England doesn't need you. You need _her _though, I think." Alice said. "People will come here. England she'll call to them. Hellboy baptized this land with his blood." she continued. "Where buildings once stood a garden will grow. People will come because they'll dream of it- the best, the last garden on earth." My interest was piqued but I was also sort of scared by her wording. "Hellboy would want you to stay. He fought for he heart of England, and the_ soul _of the world.- but yes the body of the world is dying, just as you say." she gestured to the ground, to some beautiful lilies growing in the grass. "But see? Not here."

Kate and I both stared wide eyed. "Those weren't here when we came in..." she looked at me. "Were they?" I shook my head still frowning.

"Life is a cycle, Kate. Things have to die so others can live. I'm not telling you anything you don't know- But it's terrible sometimes. Violent, and terrible—and if you go now, maybe you won't be able to come back." I wondered vaguely how she knew Kate's name.

"Alice. He's gone? He's really gone?" She murmured.

The red head nodded. "Yes."

Kate's head fell and I could she the tears streak down he cheeks.

"I can't believe it's hopeless. How can I turn my back on everybody, everything else? I can't just stay here and give up."

I shook my head. "We can't give up. I know HB wouldn't have wanted that. Never."

"We can't! And Nyaida's right, I _don't _think Hellboy would want us-" he phone rang cutting her off.

"Excuse me a moment." Kate hit send and stood up. "Bruno, where are you? I've been calling and calling!" she paused a moment but not for long. "We already found that Father Bill guy I told you about and We've met-" she stopped, the other person talked a few seconds and more tears came down her face before she pulled the phone away from her face and a German voice questioned her name before she hung up.

"Kate?" I stood up and gazed at her worriedly.

She wiped her eyes. "Bruno's not coming." is all she said. We turned back to the bench, Alice was gone, but lilies has sprung up everywhere.

It was beautiful.

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**Is it still as good as it used to be?! Or do I need to tweek more. Please review and tell me what you think! **

**EVERYONE WHO DOES IS AWESOME!**


	17. Old Grudges Fester like Old Wounds

**Finally another chapter. Based off of 'The Long Death' See ya at the end!**

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After our eventful mission to Russia and our beyond strange occurrences in England. I had opted to head back to HQ to make sure everything hadn't gone to hell. Our cell reception here was spotty at best but Kate had decided to stay back for a few more days.

I had just finished my dinner in the mess hall when the U.N man passed me hurriedly then stopped calling out to me. "Agent Zander, are you available to head out ASAP?" he asked quickly.

I shrugged. "Sure, I don't have anything going on. Where too?"

"British Columbia."

Something inside my chest felt like it had just stopped. "What's in B.C?" I dreaded the answer.

"There have been a series of disappearances. Agent Kraus suggested he lead a team there as soon as possible." he explained.

I frowned and thought deeply for a moment trying to sort my thoughts. "Disappearances are hardly a front line concern, especially with everything else that is going on."

The small portly man shook his head. "Agent Kraus believes it requires investigation."

"I'm on it."

U.N man (who's name I really needed to find out) nodded. "Good, good. The transport leaves in 20. Thank you Agent Zander."

As I walked away to grab my gear I couldn't help but thinking. _What do you know, Agent Kraus..._

Abe had told me it had been Ben that destroyed his body. British Columbia just happened to be where Ben was... and these disappearances he felt warranted him to personally lead this investigation.

Did he know something?

20 minutes later, right on time our chopper was lifting of on coarse to our destination. I sat next to Carla as we talked amongst ourselves.

"Ah, hello. Agent Zander." Johann's German accented voice came, just as Carla was showing me a picture of her son. "And Agent Giarocco, isn't it?"

Carla lowered her phone and nodded slightly. "Hi, Agent Kraus. This your seat?"

Johann took the free seat opposite her leaving me feeling uneasy. "I believe it is." he pointed to her photo. "Very cute boy. A future agent?"

Yeah because every parent would want their child to go through this hell. "Not if I can help it." she flipped the picture over to show another one. "Oh, here's his first t-ball game."

I smiled as she shown it to me. "He's adorable." I agreed.

"I know it's crazy. My mom never documented my life like this." she laughed.

Agent Kraus shook his glass dome. "Not at all. You're proud parents. Can I see this photo?"

Carla pressed the screen. "Oh, that's actually a video. Here, let me turn up the sound."

"-Ego te baptizo in nomine patris-" a low male voice said as a child's crying cut through it as holy water was poured upon his forehead.

Johann spoke up. "So tiny, so beautiful. I know that this ritual has come to be equated with initiation- that's why people say "Baptism of Fire," for instance- But that's not really the intent at all." by now both me and Carla we giving him the 'what the fuck' face. He just pressed on. "The water is meant to literally wash the sins out of the infant, and therefore make it pure. Which is odd, no? What could be more innocent than a new born?"

Carla stuffed her phone in her bag. "It's a sacrament. Not a ritual."

"Oh..." Johann quickly held up his hands. "I've offended you. I'm sorry. I wasn't deriding your religion. I think I've become too academic, or-" But she cut him off.

"Forget it. Don't mind me. I'm just tired. Probably should get some rest." she laid her head back and closed her eyes.

Good move.

Five hours later Carla and I found ourselves out in the middle of nowhere; no Johann in sight. Carla was shouting over the phone to the U.N rep as her breath cast steam into the night. "It's Deja Vu all over again, is what it is!" she yelled.

I shuffled in the snow and growled to myself at Johann's stupidity; Carla carried on. "Agent Kraus has disappeared- Exactly the way Agent Sapien did when we were in Washington last spring. He was driving his own vehicle, but never made it to the first rendezvous point."

She waited a few moments while he spoke on the other line then responded. "To late. We're already at the missing ranger's station. Zander's the ranking agent in Kraus's absence, and we've got folks up here waiting on us."

She paused as he said something then hung up without a goodbye. "Ok, your up Zander." she smirked towards me as she pocketed her phone.

"Alright everyone!" I ordered. "We're bunking here for the night!"

With a few groans resonating from the group we all retreated into the safety of the station.

Sometime during the night Agent Luis went out to have a quick smoke so only Carla and I were left awake in the large one roomed building. Carla was speaking over Skype to her son as I sat down staring at the wood table to my side, my thoughts were running amuck in my head.

Kraus had this all planned out. He would leave us, go to track down Ben. It was the only thing that made sense. What didn't make sense was how the hell he'd found out about Daimio at all.

"Okay, goodnight, sweetheart. I'll see you soon. You mind daddy-" Carla was cut off promptly but a random agent. "For Christ's sake, Giarocco! We're trying to sleep."

She lowered her camera. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. I was trying to be quiet."

My fingers drummed against the table as I sighed with boredom.

KRSSH!

Wood exploded everywhere; Carla was thrown from her seat by the window and instantly everyone was up. I jumped up and whirled around to gape at the large red monster that held Agent Luis in his hand; his blood dripping from the monsters maw and his intestines hanging haphazardly from his gut.

"NNNGH! GOD HELP!" An agent screamed as the things claws dug into his abdomen .

Instantly everyone started shooting, including me, although I wasn't sure it'd be enough.

Carla ran up on it firing round after round from her automatic shot gun but it did nothing but get the thing's attention. With one idle swack it flung her away and grabbed another agent's face with his clawed hand.

Throwing down mu gun I ran at it using all my strength and side checked the beast hurling it back. Agents fired upon it, bullets doing nothing as it shot up from where I had thrown it.

The creature rushed upon another group of agents to it's left, bowling them over as if they were made of cardboard.

He ripped and tore them to pieces in an instance.

Blood rained everywhere, too many had died already. This time when I rushed the thing I held on and dragged it down. Its claws ripped into the flesh of my back but I did my best not to focus on it as I drove my combat knife into it's chest.

"KEEP FIRING!" I shouted as the creature howled. More shot erupted. Once or twice I was hit but it wouldn't kill me. I held onto the beast as best I could and bite into it's exposed neck with all my force, tearing the skin and ripping off a portion.

"CEASE FIRE!" Someone yelled. Carla.

I shouldered the beast back against the wall as it's claws torn my chest. I dared to look towards her, a single frag grenade in her hand; she'd been bloodied pretty badly. "You can't hurt it. Withdraw immediately." When no one moved she ordered loudly. "YOU HEARD ME! MOVE!"

"DO IT CARLA!" I shouted, then screamed in pain as the beast bit into my shoulder.

Every nerve was on fire.

"MOTHER FUCKER! LOOK AT ME!" Carla screamed. The creature looked up and tore more of my flesh as I grunted in pain. "Look what I got."

The whole cabin ignited in a bright flash and an ear splinting bang. Everything went black.

The next two day's passed in a blur. As far as I knew the surviving agents called in assistance and had Carla and I air lifted to the nearest hospital. Carla was alive, they said it was touch and go but she was up now and doing well.

As for me, the doctors were marveled I was even still alive. My shoulder was mangled bad, they had it wrapped up with gauze but I healed fast and the bleeding had stopped. Add that to the stitches in my back and torso and I was still good to go.

As of now I found myself outside Carla's room with a group of other agents. Only I could hear the conversation within.

Someone was playing the video Carla's phone had captured. "AHH! GOD!"

"I'm sorry." Johann said from within. "I should have been with you. I was your commander and I left you alone."

"I don't think it made much difference, Zander handled it better then you could have. But you should have, yeah."

Johann was silent for a moment. "It might have made some difference."

"So where were you?"

I could hear a chair move as Johann probably stood up. "A few nights ago, I had a dream. It was the first I've had- the first night's sleep I've had, for a very long time. I don't know it you've met Panya, Agent Giarocco, but she had an idea about this dream. She thought it meant that my spirit had been infected by something." he paused. "And she was right."

The chair moved again, I guessed he must have set back down.

"Listen, I just wanted to know where you were, but really, you don't have to tell me." Carla said bitterly.

"Actually, I do." he replied. "You've probably been told that some while back, my spirit wasn't in a containment suit- that for a short time I had a human body."

"I'd always heard it was _super_-human, but figured that was an exaggeration." she said.

"Not really, no. And you've probably heard about Captain Daimio, too, yes?"

So this was about Ben. My fist clenched involuntarily. "Not too much, actually." Carla said.

"Of coarse, because the people at the bureau would rather not remember him- or the things he did."

The chair shifted again signaling he'd gotten back up.

"Revenge. That's why I volunteered for this mission. Not to find those people, but because I thought Captain Daimio might be here. _That's _where I was."

He'd gone back to where Abe and I had been, that weaselly fuck.

"Looking for Captain Daimio? While we were dying?" Carla spoke, her voice sounded angry. "You'd better _leave_, Kraus!"

"Not until you hear the worst of it, Agent Giarocco, because I was right." I heard the camera play the creatures attack once again. "_This _is Captain Daimio... and if I'd been with you-"

"I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" Carla shouted.

I moved away from the door as It opened and Johann came out. "I'M FILING A REPORT ABOUT THIS! YOU HEAR ME!" Carla shouted.

"What's _that_ about?" Agent Nichols questioned.

I wondered what expression Johann would have if he actually had a face.

"It isn't your problem, Agent. You can all grab some breakfast, and meet me back up at the rangers station in two hours." he ordered. "We've still got a mission."

When everyone cleared out I hung back, I had a feeling it was what Kraus wanted. If he wanted to act like the team leader he'd still have to put up with me on the team.

"You should get some rest Agent Zander."

I shook my head and narrowed my eyes. "I'm good for duty." I nearly growled.

"I can not let you out into the field in your current condition."

Oh, no Kraus you're not going to get your 'revenge' while I sit in some hospital. "I've been though worse. I'm going."

I walked off to grab another blood pack for breakfast before heading off to the rangers station.

Two and half hours later we were trekking through the snow following a trail of blood.

"Hell now, that's a lot of blood. Guess you and Carla got his ass good." Nichols said with a grimace.

Before I could say anything 'team leader supreme' spoke up. "I doubt very much that's the creatures blood. Even when wounded, he can heal very quickly."

"He's not the only one." I muttered lowly.

I caught sight of the knife he'd been carrying since we started out into this freezing waste land. "But you think you can kill it with that?"

"That is exactly what it was made for. In any case, I hope I can."

My eyes narrowed and I fought back a low growl that was forming in my throat.

"I ain't doubting you, Sir. Stranger things happening all over this world. And anyway, didn't a sling do what Saul's army couldn't?"

"That is the story."

I scoffed. "It's more than a story."

The only other female agent spoke as she lead ahead of Johann. "Not a believer?"

"A believer in what exactly?"

Suddenly she stopped and once I reached the top of the hill I saw why.

The wendigo.

"JESUS! JESUS, IT'S HERE! FIRE! FIRE!" She shouted.

I ran up and slammed her gun down. "No! He's not dangerous!"

"What the hell?!"

Johann came beside me. "That's not the creature that attack you."

"How the hell you know? You weren't there!"

Nichols didn't lower his gun. "No, that's not it. But it's something!

"You were debriefed that we would see strange things out here, not all of them are dangerous." Johann said. "That is _not _our objective."

No _your _objective his much worse.

I looked at the wendigo and it gazed back at me as if it remembered me; then in a split second it took off.

"See? Not aggressive at all- no concern to us. Come on I need you to focus and we're losing daylight."

As we pressed on up another snow covered hill Nichols questioned Agent Kraus. "So we got good and bad monster now?"

"I wouldn't say "good" just harmless."

Again I wanted to scoff. "No monster is harmless. Same as people, people can seem "harmless" too... doesn't mean they are."

"You know all about this I guess." Nichols said eying me.

I smirked. "To many years of experience."

"It's a wendigo." Johann disregarded everything I had said. "A kind of living prison that holds the soul of a murderer."

"A monster with a killers soul? _That's _harmless?"

I reached the top of the hill along side Nichols. "In this case, yes, because the only way that soul can be free is to kill another murderer to take it's place inside the wendigo."

"Although if I am correct this wendigo doesn't have the soul of a killer." I said.

Johann ignored my comment. "The innocent have nothing to fear."

You have this whole thing backwards ghost boy. "And the rest of us?" I spoke darkly.

The female agent still leading the way stopped and turned again. "Hey, agent Kraus!"

The wendigo was back, gazing at us just beyond the trees. "What the hell?" Nichols questioned.

"Lookit him. Its like he wants something." she said. I kept quiet as it took off once again.

Nichols grunted. "Some kind of game he's playing, or what?"

"Maybe..." Johann muttered. "This way." he commanded us forward.

We all followed. I myself did so begrudgingly.

After a nearly 20 minutes of trying to track the wendigo the woman near Johann began complaining that we were getting no where.

"I told you our objecting is not an animal. That trail may have been a decoy."

She huffed, "Yeah, "May have." Look, Zander, Nichols and I can go back and-"

"No! We all stick together. That's final."

I strode closer to him. "You do realize we rank the same, Kraus. You're not the only one with the authority here." I reminded him darkly.

"Yeah, and if you won't broaden the search, why the hell are the rest of us even here?" I was beginning to like this girl.

A flash behind her made her turn. "What the-?"

I walked closer; down the steep angle of the hill was a torn up camping tent. Bodies and blood littered the ground in front of it.

We hiked our way down and many of the agents looked sick by the time we reached the gore.

"Might be your "good" monster's not so good. The missing hikers,, the park ranger. It's like a barbecue pit."

I stepped closer. "The wendigo didn't do this..." Ben? Why...

"Now how sure are you? Monsters always stick to the rules?" Nichols questioned me.

But Johann spoke for me again. "No, it's not that. The dead speak to me, Agent Nichols. I am here for them. They are here for me."

Johann ordered up back up the hill to make camp for the night. However I wasn't having it and when he took one of the slaughtered bodies as his own and walked into the darkness of the thicker treeline.

I waited a few beats before following, watching my steps as to not alert my query.

We walked on for nearly 30 minutes before I stopped and watched from a safe distance, as Johann entered a clearing. I squinted trying to see passed the tree line.

"Good thinking there, Kraus." a familiar voice rumbled. "On e whole in that containment suit and you're no good in a fight are you?"

I slid closer, trying to get a better look. Ben was visible now, on the other side of a large moose carcass. He held up his gun. "Now this? Useless."

"If you knew I would find you, you should have chosen a better place to hide."

Ben grunted, standing up completely. "Who's hiding?" he questioned. Then he looked down slightly before gazing sorrowfully up at the corpse Johann was possessing. "Look, Johann, you need to know how sorry I am."

The corpses head tilted. "No. You didn't stay to face us, to deal with what happened, what you'd done. You ran away."

Something in his sentence stuck a cord deep within me. It was the same thing I'd done after I'd snapped and killed those two agents.

"If you had any remorse what all, you'd come back to the B.P.R.D. With me now, but you aren't going to do that. You just can't stop killing."

Ben had lost control... I gazed upon the sight unfolding in front of me with understanding and grief. But who's side am I on?

"You don't even want to." Johann taunted.

Ben just stood there. "So you're here to execute me, that it? With a knife?"

Johann bent down slightly. "It can do the job you'll see."

Ben slid out of his jacket exposing a bare torso. "Maybe but can you?"

"I haven't thought of anything else for months. It's gnawed at me- like a parasite. Your death was the only was I was going to be free of it. I really believed that. But that isn't true. And now I know it. That thing inside me is gone. I'm myself again, I think. So no, killing you won't be easy for me."

He ran at Ben "But you still have to DIE!" At the moment Ben's body contorted and began changing into the creature we'd fought last night.

Bones protruding though his back as his skin morphed to red. He reached out and grabbed Johann by the through but Johann kicked up and hit him in the throat before jolting forward and slamming the dagger into his chest.

The creature then screamed in pain, lashing out and tearing Johann's bodies flesh. It fell and Johann's spirit flew out and dissipated.

I couldn't move, couldn't breathe, as I watched the thing Ben had become howl and groan with pain. That was when I noticed it. The moose carcass was getting up.

"Fuck..." I couldn't watch this. This wasn't the way.

Just as the moose rushed at Ben, trying to thrust the dagger from chest, I slammed against it and hurled it across the clearing.

I turned towards Ben, trying to see if there was any possible way I could help him. I heard running behind me but couldn't react fast enough as the possessed moose slammed it's rack into me and tossed me into a nearby tree; my face smacking against the wood, splitting my skin and cracking my nose.

I slid down coughing as he slammed Ben down. "You son of a bitch." I gasped, spitting out blood.

Suddenly Ben launched up onto the moose's back, but Johann bucked him off throwing him up with his antlers.

Daimio slid to the ground but lashed out again at the moose's legs, grabbing on and then biting into it's flesh just below the neck.

It fell as Ben processed to rip it apart his claws. After a few beats he stood, pulled the dagger up and hobbled off into the trees.

I followed, screw Johann. I ain't helping him get his revenge. This wasn't right.

Even thought I couldn't see Ben in the now pitch darkness I could hear him. The crunching in the snow and the heavy breathing. Sure my body ached like a mother fucker and I think Johann ripped open my wounds but I could still keep going.

When I heard the walking stop I proceeded with caution. I could see him now, illuminated in the moonlight. Ben was hunched over holding the knife in his now human hand. I slid out of the trees into the large clearing.

He looked up slowly. "Nash?"

"You look like you need help..." I said coming closer slowly.

Ben looked back at the knife in his hands. "Whatddya doing here?"

"We came to investigate the disappearances, turned out Johann had more on his mind then missing hikers."

Ben didn't look up. "It was me..."

"I can help you. Man, I know what it's like. I ran away before. I snapped and killed two agents." he looked up at me. "I didn't want to face it. But I know what it's like to have something inside you that wants to take over. I can help."

"There ain't no helping me now." he grunted jabbing a finger at his head. "There is no controlling this thing. The only thing you can do for me is end it."

He held out the knife but I refused. "No. I can't do that, Ben." I frowned and shivered subconsciously. "I've already lost Abe... I don't wanna lose you now."

His eyes widened slightly. "Abe?" his gaze fell to the ground as I nodded. "Goddamn it." he growled. "This whole damn world is falling apart."

Before I could respond he lifted the dagger to his throat and attempted to slice it open. "Ben what are you-?!"

He hissed in pain, eye watering until he finally dropped the knife defeated. "Jesus!" he shouted throwing it to the wayside.

He stood up slowly and faced me. "I have to do what must be done." he laid a hand on my shoulder. "It was good to see you again." he even smiled slightly before turning and walking out into the wilderness.

I knew he didn't what to be followed. This was his decision, not mine. Whatever he was going to do was up to him. Not Johann.

I grimaced at the thought of having to head back to the camp sight and even face that gas bag again. This was all such bullshit. I'm definitely going to have to use a lot of self control to prevent myself from tearing a hole in his suit.

When I reached the camp again the agents were all asleep besides from, guess who, yeah Johann. He didn't look at me when I approached. Or maybe he was watching me but I couldn't tell.

It seemed to take forever for morning to arrive and for us to finally pack up and resume our 'search'.

"Hey! We got something over here." I could already smell the blood before they pointed it out. "Something real bad."

"Fuck! He got another one! God damn it." Nichols yelled hands over his head. "At least this guy looks like he put up a fight."

While Johann was gazing upon the ruins of what looked like a hut I couldn't help but fear what I already knew. This wasn't another victim.

"Agent Nichols, your helmet please." Johann instructed.

With some hesitation the agent handed it over. The German dunked it in a pool of water near the body and poured the icy liquid over the face of the man.

I sucked in a lungful of air and tried to bite back my emotions. Ben.

His stomach was torn apart and his hair matted with blood as he laid still in the pool of crimson.

"We can go home now." Johann said finally.

I lagged behind with the body for a few moments, promising to Nichols I would catch up.

"You never deserved any of this." I whispered. "Bealtaine do Soul a bheith ar fos."*

* * *

***May your soul find rest**

**I actually wrote this one in less then a day. I'm kinda really proud of that. Comments please!? **


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